CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday ordered a high-level probe into allegations of permanent constructions undertaken in violation of environmental norms at Tampara lake near Chhatrapur town of Ganjam district.
NGT’s East Zone bench ordered the inquiry basing on a petition filed by Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO). Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani, appearing on behalf of the petitioner submitted huge construction activities had already taken place in the name of tourism in the lake area and its fringes.
Taking note of it, the bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) while fixing September 13 for hearing the matter along with the report of the committee said, “Considering the allegations made, we deem it appropriate to constitute a committee to visit the site in question and submit its report on affidavit within four weeks. In the meantime, the district collector, Ganjam, shall ensure that no illegal constructions are made and no part of the Tampara lake is encroached or allowed to be encroached.”
The four-member committee constituted by the tribunal includes senior scientist, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (Regional Office), Bhubaneswar, senior scientist, Central Pollution Control Board, district collector Ganjam, or his nominee not below the rank of additional district magistrate and secretary, State Wetland Authority (Odisha) or his nominee of a senior rank. “The district collector, Ganjam, shall be the nodal officer for all logistic purposes and for filing the committee report on the affidavit”, the bench further said in the order.
As per the petition, the permanent construction within water area and 50 metre of the Tampara lake include restaurant, hotel, resorts, and cottages along with many other permanent concrete structures that have been undertaken by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation. The projects are being taken up under the Central government funded ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme. The Berhampur Development Authority has finalised additional infrastructure projects for the tourist destination at a cost of `8 crore.
Tampara is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the state. It was placed in the Wetland Atlas of Union Ministry of Forest Environment and Climate Change in 2010 and designated a Ramsar Site in 2021. It forms part of the Rushikulya river basin where one of the prominent nesting grounds of the endangered Olive Ridley Turtles is located.
The petition expressed apprehension that the recreational facilities which are being developed for tourists by allegedly reclaiming the Tampara land will threaten the rich biodiversity of the lake. The subsequent anthropogenic pressure because of the inflow of huge number of tourists will further have irreversible impact on the delicate ecosystem of the lake. As such no study has been conducted on the possible impact of huge infrastructure and permanent buildings, waste generated from the tourism activities and carrying capacity of the area, the petition alleged.