CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed displeasure over state authorities failing to respond to notices issued one year and four months back on a petition regarding constructions in eco-sensitive Tampara lake in Ganjam district.
The east zone bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) has also warned of imposing heavy costs on the state authorities. The notices among others were issued to chief secretary, additional chief secretary Forest and Environment department, director of Forest, Environment and Climate Change department and chairperson of State Wetland Authority.
The bench said: “We find that this is a case of 2023 where notices were issued on August 11, 2023, but till date no affidavit has been filed by Chief Secretary of Odisha, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, Director Environment, Forest Environment Climate Change Department and Chairperson, State Wetland Authority Odisha.”
“Sanjib Swain, counsel appearing (in virtual mode) for these respondents is granted four weeks’ time by way of last chance, for filing the affidavit failing which the court will be constrained to impose heavy cost upon the authority,” the bench cautioned, while directing to list the matter on February 25.
Wildlife Society of Orissa had filed the petition seeking demolition of all permanent structures and restoration of the wetland area to its original condition. The petition also sought computation of the environmental compensation for the damage to the wetland and recover it from the officials who allowed the “illegal constructions”
While issuing the notices on August 11, 2023, the bench in an interim order directed the collector Ganjam to ensure no illegal construction took place in the lake.
Spread over 751 acres, Tampara, one of the largest freshwater lakes is located in Rushikulya river basin which has one of the prominent nesting grounds of the endangered Olive Ridley Turtles. It has been placed in the Wetland Atlas of Union Ministry of Forest Environment & Climate Change and is a designated Ramsar Site since 2021.
According to the petition the permanent construction within the water area and 50 metres of the Tampara lake include restaurant, hotel, resorts, and cottages along with many other permanent concrete structures. The state tourism department claimed the constructions were part of the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan scheme.