Bhubaneswar: The Eastern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has now ordered halting the construction of a panchayat building which was allegedly being planned to be constructed in a forest area in— in violation of existing legislatures.
The aggrieved villagers earlier had moved the NGT alleging that the gram panchayat building is proposed to be constructed in the Golabandha village under Barkote Tehsil of Deogarh district. It was alleged that the area falls under Sabik Kisam Bad Forest and 1.08 acres has been earmarked for the building without any prior approval from the central government.
The NGT, in its order to halt the project, has also asked a joint inspection of the site by the Deogarh District Collector as well as by the District Forest Officer (DFO). In its written order the NGT said, “…no construction activity shall be undertaken in the area by the concerned panchayat or the authority with whom the construction of the building has been entrusted without getting necessary permission from the concerned authorities provided under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.”
The tribunal order also added, “…The DFO and the District Collector to have a joint inspection of the area and find out if this comes under the forest as defined by the Supreme Court and whether the authorities’ intent to make a construction on the land has the necessary approval from the government… (sic)”
The applicant had earlier produced documents before the NGT to show that the controversial areas falls under Sabik Kisam Bad forest area which is a recorded forest as per the decision of the Supreme Court and any construction activity or any other non-forest activities can be done in those areas only with the prior sanction from the central government. The applicants in their submissions before the NGT claimed that under such circumstances there was a reported case of violation of environmental laws.
The NGT has now asked the authorities concerned to file their response within two months while it has appointed the DFO as the nodal officer in the case. The next hearing of the case is slated to be in August this year.