Bhubaneswar: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata, has constituted a joint committee to probe allegations of illegal and unscientific laterite stone extraction at Olasingh Laterite Stone Quarry-B in Tangi tehsil of Khordha district. The order was passed Au gust 17 by a bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh while hearing Original Application No. 179/2026/EZ filed by Sarbeswar Bhol.
The applicant has alleged that laterite stone is being extracted beyond the permitted quantity and lease area, causing environmental degradation and violating conditions of the environmental clearance, consent to establish, consent to operate and the approved mining plan.
Taking note of the allegations, the tribunal observed that the application raised prima facie substantial questions relating to the environment under the enactments specified in Schedule-I of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
The tribunal directed notices to be issued to the respondents and ordered that their responses be filed within one month.
The respondents include the State of Odisha through the Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment Department; District Collector, Khordha; Tahasildar, Tangi; Director of Geology, Odisha; Deputy Director of Mines, Khordha Circle; Divisional Forest Officer, Khordha; Dep uty Director General of Forests (Central), MoEF&CC Regional Office, Bhubaneswar; Member Secretary, Odisha State Pollution Control Board; Member Secretary, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Odisha; Odisha Space Applications Centre (ORSAC), represented through its Chief Executive; and the private respondent/lessee.
The NGT has constituted a joint committee comprising representatives of the Integrated Regional Office of MoEF&CC, Bhubaneswar, OSPCB and the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner, Khordha.
The committee has been directed to visit the quarry site, examine the applicant’s grievances, associate the applicant and a representative of the project proponent, verify the factual position and suggest appropriate remedial action.
The District Magistrate, Khordha, will act as the nodal agency for coordination and compliance. The committee’s report is to be filed before the tribunal within one month.
According to the application, environmental clearance was originally granted to the Tahasildar, Tangi, June 30, 2021, and was subsequently transferred to the private respondent on May 2, 2023, for extraction of 2,000 cubic metres of laterite stone per annum from an area of 12.35 acres (5 hectares).
The applicant alleged that the lessee had excavated beyond the approved quantity, permissible depth and lease boundary.
It was also alleged that the required safety zone and green belt had not been maintained, the progressive mine closure plan had not been followed, quarterly compliance reports had not been filed and environmental safeguards had been violated.
The application further claimed, based on Google Earth imagery, that excavation had taken place over around 5.03 hectares.
Taking a conservative depth of three metres, the applicant estimated the extracted material at around 1,50,900 cubic metres, against the permitted 10,000 cubic metres for the five-year lease period.
The applicant also alleged that the mandatory plantation of 1,000 native saplings had not been undertaken and that existing trees in and around the lease area were being felled without prior permission.
The matter has been listed for further consideration Oc tober 26, 2026.