Bhubaneswar: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered halting of new construction work by the 41 erring government and non-government institutions which started their operations on forest lands in Jaydev Vihar Mouza here.
The tribunal in its latest order cited constructions on forest land without the nod of the Ministry of Environment and Forest. In its written order, the NGT said that the forest land was indeed encroached, while ordering blanket ban on new construction activities.
“In view of the acknowledged encroachment of forest land and, diversion of forest land having been undertaken without obtaining the mandatory clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, we are of the firm view that no further activity shall be taken up without complying with the requirements of law,” the order said.
“If there are infractions on the part of the state machinery in permitting violation of the stringent provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the ministry shall be at liberty to take appropriate action under… the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 read with Rule 9 of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003 against those responsible for permitting such infractions,” it added.
This comes nine years after a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) found three establishments operating from the forest land classified under Jungle II Kisam land without adequate approvals way back in 2012. This was an alleged gross violation of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.