CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has indicted the collector and district magistrate (Dhenkanal) for shielding a private party involved in illegal mining from Gadanala black stone quarry under Hindol tehsil and transporting the minor mineral by creating a road through a village forest.
The indictment came in a final judgment by NGT’s East Zone Bench in Kolkata on an application seeking intervention against illegal mining by a private party in Gadanala black stone quarry. Ghanashyam Rout, a resident of Rasol under Hindol tehsil had filed the application expressing concern over transportation of the illegally mined minor minerals by clearing forest land.
The unauthorised operations resulted in the uprooting of many valuable tree species such as Char, Sal, Asan, Mahua, Tela, Kuruma, Karada, Gohira, Kendu and other miscellaneous trees. Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani argued on behalf of the applicant.
In an affidavit filed on January 3, 2023, the collector and district magistrate of Dhenkanal had stated that no forest land has been cleared and no trees have been cut and there is no material with the collector to initiate any action against the private party. Besides, the forest land has not been used by the private party for the transportation of minor minerals. Therefore, no criminal action has been initiated against him.
But the Bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and A Senthil Ven (Expert Member) observed that the claims made in the affidavit were “in sharp contrast to the affidavit filed earlier by the collector and district magistrate as well as the how cause notice issued by the tehsildar (Hindol)” to the private party.
“This clearly shows the complicity of the collector and district magistrate, Dhenkanal, with the illegal acts of Soumya Ranjan Rout (private party), with the deliberate intent to shield him,” the bench observed in its final judgment on Wednesday.
Accordingly, the bench ordered, “We, therefore, direct adverse entries to be made in the ACR of the collector and district magistrate, Dhenkanal. A copy of this order shall be placed before the chief secretary, Government of Odisha, for necessary action.”
The bench further directed restoration of the 660 feet of Gramya Jungle Road in Kadalipal-Mouza, Tehsil-Hindol “to its original form by the collector and district magistrate, Dhenkanal and divisional forest officer, Dhenkanal, within further two months.”