NGT issues notice over plea against illegal tree felling for Mayurbhanj bus terminal project

Cuttack: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the state govt and other authorities on a petition alleging large-scale illegal felling of trees on govt land for the proposed inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) at Palabani in Mayurbhanj district’s Baripada.The petition was filed by Pramod Kumar Hembram, a Baripada resident, who challenged the felling of trees across five acres of a 10-acre urban forest and green zone.The petition contended that the Palabani site was declared an urban forest and green jogging zone on Oct 2, 2016. Developed by the Baripada forest division, the 10-acre area is said to house around 12,000 trees, including sal, mahogany, acacia and neem. Plantation activities began in 2013, supplementing mature trees. The area was opened to joggers in 2016 after the trees had grown to nearly 15 ft.Acting on the plea, NGT’s east zone bench in Kolkata, comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Ishwar Singh, issued notices on Dec 23 seeking replies from the respondents, petitioner’s counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said. The bench fixed Jan 6 for further hearing.Notices have been served on the additional chief secretary, forest and environment department; Mayurbhanj collector; member secretary of the Odisha Biodiversity Board; divisional forest officer (DFO), Baripada; and managing director of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation.According to the petition, while an official report by the DFO permitted the felling of 1,789 trees, more than 5,000 trees were allegedly cut. The petitioner alleged that the land was classified as ‘patita kissam’ (barren or fallow land) to justify the clearance, despite having dense forest growth.The petitioner argued that authorities failed to explore alternative barren land in or around Baripada. Since the ISBT project is not site-specific and is still at the proposal stage, the plea contended that relocating it could save thousands of trees from further felling.The trees felled included valuable and fruit-bearing species such as karanja, neem, sishu, bahugani, baula, lemon, mango and sirisa, among others. The plea claims this violated the conditions attached to the permission for tree felling, which required existing forest growth to be kept intact. The DFO has been accused of remaining a “mute spectator” to the alleged violations.