CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Centre and state government regarding the location of the proposed Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYN) at Bhinjagiri in Khurda district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on October 29, 2024 laid the foundation stone of the proposed CRIYN for chronic diseases along with a 100-bed yoga and naturopathy hospital and a laboratory by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy. The facility is to come up at an estimated cost of `25 crore.
NGT’s East Zone bench in Kolkata issued the notices on Monday basing on a petition which sought relocation of the proposed institute as it falls in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary.
The petition was filed by Hazari Dehuri and Hrudananda Kodamsingh, both residents of the area, challenging the diversion of 20 acre of forest category land for the CRIYN at Bhinjagiri as it is included in ESZ of Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary as per notification issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forest on September 9, 2016. Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani and Advocate Ashutosh Padhy made submissions on behalf of them in virtual mode.
The petition stated that the 20 acre land has been diverted out of a patch of nearly 47 acre which was turned into thick jungle by the villagers of Bhinjagiri with donations from each house and protected through village guard since 1970 till date. The villagers were accorded the Biju Patnaik Award for forest protection in 2013, the petition claimed.
If the project is implemented at the proposed site there will be felling of more than 26,000 trees, the petition contended, seeking direction to the state authorities to relocate the project in any other alternative sites.
Taking note of the submissions, the bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) said the matter requires consideration and issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy. The bench has fixed March 19 for next hearing and sought affidavits from the respondents within three weeks.
Notices were also issued to additional chief secretary state Forest and Environment department, additional chief secretary, state Revenue & Disaster Management department, divisional forest officers, Khurda and Chandaka Wildlife Division, and district collector, Khurda.