CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) East Zone Bench has issued show-cause notices to five senior Odisha officials, including the chief secretary, warning of attachment of their properties or salaries and even arrest and detention in civil prison for alleged non-compliance with its order on removal of fly ash encroachment from forest and revenue land in Dhenkanal district.
The three-member bench of judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh passed the order on August 4, while hearing an execution petition filed by a Talcher-based NGO. The web copy of the order was uploaded on August 25. Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani represented the NGO.
The show-cause notices have been issued to the chief secretary, Dhenkanal collector, Dhenkanal divisional forest officer, district SP and Parjang tehsildar. They have been asked to explain why the order should not be executed against them and why prosecution under section 26 of the NGT Act should not be initiated for non-compliance.
Additional government advocate Partha Sarathi Nayak sought time to file compliance reports. The tribunal directed the respondents to file replies and compliance reports before the next hearing. The matter has been posted to September 25, 2026 for further proceedings/orders.
The original matter concerned alleged large-scale dumping of fly ash on Khalpal reserve forest land within Mahabirod forest range and revenue land under Parjang tehsil for construction of an approach road to a dhaba, parking of heavy vehicles and other purposes without requisite permission.
On July 22, 2025, the tribunal had directed native tree plantation in portions of Khalpal RF found without forest growth and ordered the area to be secured through fencing or proper markings by October 31, 2025. It had also taken note of eviction proceedings against a private party occupying ‘gramya jungle’ land and directed authorities to complete the process and restore the land through plantation. But when the execution petition, filed on November 4, 2025, was taken up on August 4, the tribunal found that compliance reports had not been filed.
Expressing strong displeasure, the bench said, “The concerned authorities do not give due attention and priority to the orders passed by this Tribunal”, and warned that if orders remain unexecuted, it would pass “harsh orders”, including heavy fine on officials.
The bench further noted that under section 25 of the NGT Act, its orders are executable as civil court decrees, including through attachment and sale of movable and immovable property, attachment of salary and arrest and detention in civil prison.
