Jajpur: Even as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Jajpur District Collector and two others, to investigate construction of a logistics park on a 12-acre forest land without environmental clearance and report within three weeks, attempts are being made to scuttle the probe.
The logistics park is being built on a 11.97-acre sal forest land (Plot 865 and 867 at Jakhapura mouza under Danagadi tehsil near Kalinganagar). It is alleged the project is being built without the sanction of Forest Conservation Act 1980 as well as air and water pollution control norms.
The implementing agency Saizar Enterprise Private Ltd is drawing ground water without the sanction of Central Ground Water Authority. The agency has buried a pond on the project site near the Biju Patnaik Park. It is alleged the agency is adopting fraudulent methods to suppress the NGT order.
The NGT directed the District Collector October 9, 2019 to jointly conduct a probe into the allegations along with the divisional forest officer and state pollution control board (SPCB) and file a report within three weeks.
Consequently, a team of officials comprising SPCB regional officer, Kalinganagar, DFO and additional district magistrate visited the spot and conducted a probe, October 30.
Kalinganagar Surakshya Samiti, an NGO, which is the petitioner in the case (42/2019) has raised doubts on the outcome of the probe. The samiti, in a letter to the NGT member-secretary, has alleged kickbacks might have taken place to hush up the probe.
A petrol pump is allegedly being built on the government land. According to environmental impact assessment (EIA) notification (No.1533, dated September 14, 2006) the construction of the logistics park comes under building and construction project where soils are being collected from places and used in its construction in violation of Environment Protection Act 1986.
Reports said the Samiti had submitted memoranda twice – April 22, 2018 and February 22, 2019 – to the SPCB objecting to the constructions in forest land without environmental clearance.
The Samiti members have alleged Idco which had acquired forest land handed over same to Saizar firm without conducting any Pallisabha.
When contacted, Bikash Singh, manager Saizar Pvt Ltd rejected the charges stating that the logistics park is being built after obtaining land from Idco.
SPCB regional officer PK Behera said the probe has been completed as per NGT order and the report will be submitted before the deadline.
PNN