The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed that a water supply project, proposed to be taken up atop the Sikharchandi Hill, which is considered as one of Bhubaneswar’s green lungs, be kept in abeyance.
Sachin Mohapatra, a resident of Daruthenga village, had moved the NGT stating that trees were indiscriminately felled and big boulders of Sikharchandi, which were associated with their religious sentiments, razed to make way for the water project. Mr. Mohapatra pointed out that the destruction of green cover would lead to disappearance of several species.
“Sikharchandi Hill is a part of eastern ghat mountains, which is extremely rich in bio-diversity with varied flora and fauna. Various rare species of wild and medicinal plants are abundant in this hill area. There is no forest clearance for cutting of trees as per the Forest (Conservation) Act,” the applicant had submitted to the NGT.
A National Green Tribunal headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, chairperson of the NGT, said, “it does appear from the prima facie that the project may be in violation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and may result in damage to the bio-diversity, particularly, rare and endangered medicinal and wild plant species and overall integrity of the hill. Thus, intervention of this tribunal may be necessary under Section 15 of the NGT Act to prevent further damage and to restore the damage already done after independent verification of facts.”
Four-member panel
With a view to independently ascertain the factual position, the NGT constituted a four-member joint committee to be headed by the Chief Conservator of Forest, Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhubaneswar with other members being representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board, the State Pollution Control Board and the District Magistrate, Khordha.
“The committee may meet within one week, undertake visit to the site, interact with the stakeholders concerned including Water Corporation of Odisha and after ascertaining factual position, particularly with regard to illegal felling of trees, loss of bio-diversity and other damage to environment, including cutting of the hill and submit a factual and action taken report to this tribunal within three weeks which ends on July 3, 2023,” the order says.
“The committee may also get broad demarcation of the hill to determine permissible and non-permissible activities. Having regard to the irreversible consequences of the ongoing project, we direct that the project, in question, may be held in abeyance till next date of hearing,” the NGT ordered.
Apart from Justice Mr. Goel, Amit Sthalekar, Judicial Member, Arun Kumar Tyagi, Judicial Member, and Dr. A. Senthil Vel, Expert Member were part of the tribunal that delivered the judgment.
