CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday pulled up the Cuttack Collector for failing to comply with its order regarding the demolition of Panchamukhi Hanuman temple, which was found to be illegally constructed within Mahanadi river embankment at Ratilo in Salipur block.
On December 15, 2020, the Tribunal had directed for clearing the temple after a committee constituted by it confirmed that the shrine was constructed illegally on an active flood plain area or no development zone. Later, NGT’s East Zone Bench in Kolkata had issued notice to the Cuttack Collector seeking a compliance report on June 22. But when the matter was taken up for hearing on Wednesday, State counsel Janmejaya Katikia pointed out the shrine was supposed to be demolished on August 6, 2021. However, owing to the presence of a large number of members of the temple trust, the task could not be accomplished.
Taking serious exception, a bench comprising Justice B Amitsthalekar (judicial member) and Justice Saibal Dasgupta (expert member) said, “In our opinion, this cannot be an excuse for failure in complying with the order of the Tribunal particularly after dismissal of the civil appeal by the Supreme Court”. The chairman of Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple Trust had filed the civil appeal which the apex court had dismissed on Tuesday.
The Bench also said, “It cannot be pleaded by the District Collector, Cuttack that the order of the Tribunal cannot be complied with merely because a large number of people were present during removal of illegal construction. It is the responsibility of the District Magistrate how he controls the law and order situation and how he carries out the order of the Tribunal. It is purely within his domain. We are only concerned whether the order has been complied with or not.” It granted time till the next date (September 3) for filing affidavit of compliance.