CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s East Zone Bench in Kolkata imposed a penalty of Rs 500 on Rabindra Kumar Sahoo, presently the secretary of Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), for filing an affidavit in a “casual and irresponsible manner”.Sahoo had filed the affidavit in reply to a petition filed in connection with the elevated water storage tank project undertaken by Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) at Sikharchandi hill in Bhubaneswar.
On perusal of the affidavit on Thursday, the bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) said, “We find that the said affidavit has been filed by one Sri Rabindra Kumar Sahoo, claiming to be functioning as ‘Secretary, Akash Sova Building, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar, District-Khurda”.
“The affidavit does not state as to which Department or Office Sri Rabindra Kumar Sahoo is Secretary of. This shows the very casual and irresponsible manner in which this affidavit has been filed. We, therefore, impose a cost of Rs 500 on him.”, the Bench further said while directing for filing of a corrected affidavit within 24 hours.
Sachin Mohapatra, a resident of the area filed the petition which pointed out that the Sikharchandi hill area is adjoining Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary. Damage was being caused to the environment at Sikharchandi Hill due to earth moving, blasting of rocks, and felling of trees undertaken as part of construction works for the elevated water tank project, the petitioner alleged. Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
In his affidavit, Sahoo stated that BDA had planned the redevelopment of the Shikharchandi Temple and its peripheral region and the state government had already sanctioned Rs 30 crore for the project. The hill is outside of the ecosensitive zone of the wildlife sanctuary, the affidavit stated.