CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set a two-week deadline for the State government to file a reply in the case of indiscriminate extraction of sand in Budhabalanga river. The NGT’s East Zone Bench on Wednesday was hearing a petition filed by Radha Mohan Singh alleging illegal mining of sand far in excess of permissible limit by a lessee by using excavators at Balanda sand bed in the river at Mahupura in Mayurbhanj district.
The bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Justice Saibal Dasgupta (Expert Member) said, “Janmejaya Katikia, additional government advocate appearing for the State, prays for and is granted two weeks and no more for filing counter-affidavit.”“In case, his counter affidavit is not filed by August 25, the Collector and District Magistrate of Mayurbhanj shall be present personally before the Tribunal with his explanation,” the bench cautioned in the order.
The bench had constituted a committee to ascertain the veracity of the allegations in the petition on April 20. Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) was assigned to be nodal agency for the inspection process. According to the August 3 order, OSPCB had filed an affidavit along with the inspection report in which Rs 12.35 crore was calculated as the total compensation to be levied on the lessee for damaging the environment and illegal operation of the quarry without valid consent to operate.“The lessee has changed the natural river flow of Budhabalanga river water at Mahupura through random and mechanical sand mining and by creating sand bandh,” the committee had observed in its report.
The committee also recommended construction of concrete wall at the damage site of the river embankment and massive plantation of native species to protect the river bed from further damage. The committee further directed the tehsildar/additional tehsildar of Badasahi to take necessary action with immediate effect to stop operation of Balanga sand quarry, Mahupura till obtaining of valid environmental clearance and other permissions.