Odisha: NGT slaps Rs 2.5k tremendous on DFO for delayed affidavit

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed penalty of Rs 2,500 on Chandaka divisional forest officer (DFO) for delay in submission of data in reference to a case pertaining to degradation of Sikharchandi hills. Construction actions within the space have been suspended by the tribunal over doable harm to the biodiversity and endangered plant species within the ecosensitive hill space.

The NGT bench throughout its listening to on Monday additionally noticed that the state authorities itself is delaying the matter and never prosecuting the case sincerely and carefully. The two-member bench expressed its displeasure after extra authorities advocate SK Nayak knowledgeable that he wished extra time for bringing some paperwork that he obtained from the Forest division on report by an affidavit. The bench requested as to why the paperwork weren’t promptly filed by the state respondents by affidavit earlier regardless of the truth that the case has been pending since June 12, 2023 and there may be additionally a keep order in operation within the case.

The bench additional directed the forest officer to deposit the tremendous inside per week and said that submitting of the recent affidavit by the Forest division can be allowed solely after deposit of the quantity. The bench posted the matter to October 12 for subsequent listening to. Notably, the tribunal has stored in abeyance the continued development exercise in Sikharchandi hills, part of Chandaka Wildlife Division, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, citing that it could harm the biodiversity and different endangered plant species within the space.

Meanwhile, petitioner Sachin Mohapatra stated they’ve appealed the NGT for its intervention in declaring Sikharchandi hill a biodiversity heritage website. Considering the wealthy bio-diversity of the hill, two elected sarpanchs have already requested the chairman of the State Biodiversity Board to declare the hill as a biodiversity heritage website and cease every kind of actions damaging the organic sources, he added.

BHUBANESWAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed penalty of Rs 2,500 on Chandaka divisional forest officer (DFO) for delay in submission of data in reference to a case pertaining to degradation of Sikharchandi hills. Construction actions within the space have been suspended by the tribunal over doable harm to the biodiversity and endangered plant species within the ecosensitive hill space.

The NGT bench throughout its listening to on Monday additionally noticed that the state authorities itself is delaying the matter and never prosecuting the case sincerely and carefully. The two-member bench expressed its displeasure after extra authorities advocate SK Nayak knowledgeable that he wished extra time for bringing some paperwork that he obtained from the Forest division on report by an affidavit. The bench requested as to why the paperwork weren’t promptly filed by the state respondents by affidavit earlier regardless of the truth that the case has been pending since June 12, 2023 and there may be additionally a keep order in operation within the case.

The bench additional directed the forest officer to deposit the tremendous inside per week and said that submitting of the recent affidavit by the Forest division can be allowed solely after deposit of the quantity. The bench posted the matter to October 12 for subsequent listening to. Notably, the tribunal has stored in abeyance the continued development exercise in Sikharchandi hills, part of Chandaka Wildlife Division, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, citing that it could harm the biodiversity and different endangered plant species within the space.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

Meanwhile, petitioner Sachin Mohapatra stated they’ve appealed the NGT for its intervention in declaring Sikharchandi hill a biodiversity heritage website. Considering the wealthy bio-diversity of the hill, two elected sarpanchs have already requested the chairman of the State Biodiversity Board to declare the hill as a biodiversity heritage website and cease every kind of actions damaging the organic sources, he added.