Bhubaneswar: There was much relief in Odisha as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) served a fresh reminder on the Chhattisgarh government, asking it to immediately stop the illegal constructions for 31 projects on the upper catchment areas of River Mahanadi.
This was the second notice served by the tribunal on the Chhattisgarh government.
The Kolkata bench of the NGT asked the Raman Singh-led BJP government to stop works on these illegal projects in July last year. However, the neighbouring state’s government ignored the notices and went ahead with the construction works in violation of the norms and orders from the NGT. The NGT directive came in response to a petition filed by the Mahanadi Bachao Andolan.
While reminding Chhattisgarh of its earlier notice on stopping construction, the tribunal gave it an ultimatum, asking it to furnish a replywithin two weeksas to why the earlier order was not carried out. The notice comes as a big relief to Odisha.
