CUTTACK: Expressing serious displeasure over the absence of state respondents during hearing on a petition challenging grant of environmental clearance (EC) for mining at the Mirigini stone quarry under Balasore district’s Nilagiri tehsil, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed personal appearance of state Law secretary on January 14 next year.
NGT’s East Zone bench in Kolkata issued the direction on Wednesday after finding that no one was present on behalf of the state. The bench of B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and A Senthil Vel (expert member) observed, “Notice in the case was issued by the Tribunal on September 9, 2024 but no one has put in appearance on behalf of the state respondents, government of Odisha.”
“We, therefore, direct the Law Secretary, government of Odisha to appear before this Tribunal (in virtual proceedings) on the next date fixed with his explanation as to why the counsel for the state of Odisha is not appearing in the case,” the bench ordered.
The bench fixed January 14 as the next date and added, “The office of the Tribunal shall communicate this order to the Law Secretary, government of Odisha within one week.”
Sukant Kumar Nayak, a resident of the area filed the petition. Advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy represented him in virtual mode.
The bench also took on record the affidavits filed by State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Pollution Control Board. The SEIAA granted the EC in favour of Subarnarekha Port Private Limited on June 25, 2024.
This is the second instance within a fortnight in which the NGT has ordered personal appearance of the Law secretary after finding that no one is present on behalf of the state respondents.
On November 13, the NGT bench in Kolkata had directed the secretary to be present (in virtual mode) on January 9 while hearing a petition seeking intervention against illegal extraction of morrum (weathered laterite) by a private construction company in Jharsuguda district.