CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday issued notices to state government on alleged large-scale illegal mining beyond lease area at the Dankari stone quarries under Dharmasala tehsil in Jajpur district.
The NGT’s East Zone bench in Kolkata issued the notice on the petition filed by Talcher-based United Youth for Sustainable Environment Trust. The trust president Santanu Kumar Bhukta alleged that the excavations beyond the operation area being done by felling of trees in reserve forest areas was causing damage to a minor irrigation project, and endangering life and livestock of local residents. Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani represented the trust before the tribunal.
Observing that “the matter requires consideration”, the bench of B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) fixed September 13 for further hearing on the matter along with the replies of the respondents. The respondents included member secretary Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), member secretary State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), deputy director of mines (Jajpur), district collector, Jajpur and tehsildar (Dharmasala), additional chief secretary, Water Resource department and the private lessee.
The petition sought direction to ensure that quarrying of stones is not carried out within 500 metre of structures, bridges, dams, weirs, groundwater extraction points, water supply head works, extraction points for irrigation and any other cross drainage structures.
The petition also sought direction to the director of Mines and Geology to assess the extent/quantum of minor minerals including black stone excavated illegally and its market value, cost of restitution, environmental compensation, and recovery from the private lessee and direction to SEIAA and SPCB to withdraw the environment clearance.