Bhubaneswar: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has now ordered to form a committee of different stakeholders to scrutinize the claims of illegal extraction of soil for a railway project under the Haridaspur-Paradeep rail line in the Kendrapara district.
Earlier a petition was filed before the NGT alleging illegal extraction of earth and soil for the purpose of laying earth bed for a rail line in a stretch of the rail line by four contractors engaged by the Indian Railways. It was also alleged that the contractors had been extracting minor minerals along with the soil without getting adequate approval from the concerned authorities.
In the latest order of the NGT into the matter, the tribunal while ordering to form a committee said, “We direct constitution of a Committee comprising of a senior scientist/engineer, District Magistrate Khurdha. Member Secretary, SEIAA, and representative of the State Pollution Control Board, who shall inspect the area in question and verify the correctness of the allegations contained in the application.”
The tribunal has asked the panel to conduct enquiry and give their recommendations on the issue. The tribunal order said, “In the event the allegations are found to be correct, we direct the Committee to recommend appropriate action in accordance with law to be taken by the concerned authorities against those engaged in the illegal activities,”
The tribunal has asked the panel to now file a report within two months. The Committee has been asked to assess the quantity of the mined minerals, its value, loss caused to the environment on account of illegal extraction and cost of restitution of the environment.
In the application before the NGT, the applicants had demanded that the respondents be directed to ensure rehabilitation/restoration of
already mined out areas of the ordinary Earth/Morrum/Soil of the Tehsils of Kendrapara district.