CUTTACK: In a significant development, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered that any constructions for the Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYN) at Bhinjagiri in Khurda district will be subject to the outcome of the petition challenging the establishment of the national institute at the site.
The NGT’s East Zone bench in Kolkata comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana (Judicial Member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) has adjourned hearing on the petition seeking relocation of the proposed CRIYN at Bhinjagiri, to May 13.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the project via video-conferencing on October 29, 2024. The institute for chronic diseases is proposed to have a 100-bed yoga and naturopathy hospital with a state-of-the-art yoga hall and a research laboratory.
The petition, filed by two residents of the area - Hazari Dehuri and Hrudananda Kodamsingh, has challenged the diversion of 20 acre of forest category land for the institute.
They submitted that 20 acre for the institute were diverted from nearly 47 acre land, that was developed into a thick jungle by the villagers of Bhinjagiri with donations from each house and protected by a village guard since 1970.
The villagers were awarded the Biju Patnaik Award for forest protection in 2013. The site for the proposed institute also falls in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Chandaka- Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary. Moreover, Bhinjagiri village is included in the ESZ of the sanctuary as per the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on Sept 20, 2016, the petitioners stated.
Acting on it, the green panel had issued notices to central and state governments on February 17. The latest adjournment came on March 19 after the counsels representing Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), state government and Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) sought more time to file their respective counter affidavits.
Taking note of it, the bench clarified, “We make it clear that any constructions that may be put up by the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy would be subject to the result of the present petition.” It directed the respondents to file their respective reply/counter affidavits by the next date of May 13.