Kataka: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a total cost of Rs2 lakh on the Chief Secretary of Odisha and seven other state officials for repeatedly failing to ensure representation in a case concerning alleged excess and illegal sand mining in Angul district.
The Eastern Zone Bench of the NGT, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, judicial member, and expert members A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh, directed each of the eight respondents to pay Rs25,000, holding that their continued absence was causing unnecessary adjournments and delaying the resolution of environmental issues.