Bhubaneswar: Expressing concern over the construction of concrete structures in Tampara lake in brazen violation of norms, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Ganjam Collector to submit a report within four weeks as to what action has been taken for removal of such illegal civil constructions. The move by NGT’s Eastern Zone Bench came July 16 while hearing a plea of the Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) alleging that in guise of promoting tourism, huge construction activities had already taken place in the lake and its fringes in violation of environmental norms.
Taking cognisance, the NGT had in August last year asked the Ganjam Collector to halt the construction. The NGT constituted a four-member high-level committee to visit the site and submit a report on the illegal construction. In its September 25, 2023 report, the Ganjam Collector informed the NGT that construction work had been stopped and that a committee had been formed to look into the issue. “The committee visited the site September 22, 2023 and opined that a detailed analysis on conservation/integrated management plan of Tampara Lake for maintaining its water quality and ecology is required,” the Ganjam Collector said in its report. During the July 16 hearing, the NGT questioned as to why the constructions have not been demolished or removed so far. “We, therefore, direct the Collector and District Magistrate, Ganjam to file his affidavit within four weeks showing what action has been taken for removal of the concrete structures standing inside the Tampara lake waters and its conservation area,” the bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) informed the NGT that the proposal for the development of tourism infrastructure at Tampara lake was approved by the Ministry of Tourism under Swadesh Darshan in September 2016. It also said a modified DPR of Coastal Circuit in Odisha under Swadesh Darshan covering Gopalpur, Tampara, Barkul and Satapada has been received by the MoEF&CC and the same is being placed before the National Wetland Committee for inputs. The NGT granted 12 weeks to MoEF&CC for the process. The NGT has posted the next hearing to September 2, 2024. Petitioner’s counsel Sankar Prasad Pani had informed the NGT that permanent constructions, including resorts and cottages, were being built in and around the lake by OTDC. Spread over 751 acre, Tampara, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the state, has been a designated Ramsar site since 2021.
