Bhubaneswar: A year and a half after asking Odisha authorities to clear illegal encroachments from the reserve forest and government land in Nayagarh district, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices over alleged non-compliance with its directions, including a one-month deadline for action. The notices were issued by the NGT’s Eastern Zone Bench while hearing an application filed by petitioner Srikant Dash.
The petitioner brought to the notice of the Tribunal that its February 14, 2025 order had not been implemented. The tribunal had directed the Divisional Forest Officer, Khordha, and Nayagarh Collector to remove the encroachments, restore the affected land in Maninag reserve forest and calculate and recover environmental compensation for damage to the reserve forest. The authorities were given one month to comply. Following the alleged non-compliance, the tribunal bench directed all respondents to file their replies.
The respondents include the Odisha Chief Secretary, senior officials of the Forest and Revenue departments, PCCF, Nayagarh Collector, DFO Khordha, Member Secretary of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and alleged encroachers Swaraj Mahanti and Rangeen Mahanti. The case pertained to alleged encroachment at Akhupadar village under Ranpur tehsil.
A joint committee of the Nayagarh administration, Khordha forest division and SPCB had found around 0.57 acres of government land allegedly under illegal possession of a farmhouse, with a green fence and overhead water tank constructed on it. The committee also recorded encroachment of 0.28 hectare of forest land inside the Maninag reserve forest. An affidavit by the DFO further alleged encroachment of 0.20 acres, recorded as forest, including an outhouse over 0.04 acres and plantation over 0.16 acres. Another 0.03 acres of land recorded as ‘road’ was also allegedly encroached upon.
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