CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given a clean chit to the model bus stand project at Kakatpur in Puri district over the issue of encroachment and causing irreparable damage to Prachi river.
Dr Laxmidhar Biswal, a resident of Astaranga area, had raised the issue in a letter petition. After receiving it, the NGT’s Delhi bench ordered a probe by a joint committee consisting of representative of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), member secretary Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and district magistrate of Puri on February 16. While assigning the committee to ascertain the veracity of the allegation, the NGT transferred the case to the East Zone bench in Kolkata.
The committee submitted the inquiry report on July 18. It was placed before the tribunal on August 7. The bench of B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) after perusal of the report and records said, “In view of the enquiry report, we find that there is no encroachment on Prachi river nor any adverse impact to it due to construction of the model bus stand at Kakatpur. The case lacks of merit and is accordingly dismissed.”
The report indicated there is no encroachment on Prachi as the bus stand has been constructed about 100 mtr from the river.