NGT notice on tourism activities in Satkosia

Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued showcause notice to deputy director general of forests, ministry of environment, forest & climate change (MoEF&CC) as to why fine should not be imposed on him for not filing a counter affidavit to the petition challenging “ongoing harmful tourism activities” inside Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Satkosia gorge of the Mahanadi “under the garb of eco-tourism.”Satkosia gorge is one of the largest river gorges of the state having a length of almost 14 miles that runs through the tiger reserve and is a natural habitat for about 500 endangered gharials who use sand banks for laying eggs. The area was declared as a Ramsar Site in 2021.The NGT’s East Zone Bench in Kolkata was hearing on Monday the petition filed by Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) on which the tribunal had issued notices seeking counter affidavits on March 22. Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani made submissions on the petitioner’s behalf.The bench of B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) said, “Today is July 22, 2024 and even after four months, the MoEF&CC has not cared to file its counter-affidavit, even though its stand with regard to the controversy in the present case is most relevant.”“We, therefore, direct the deputy director general of forests, MoEF&CC’s integrated regional office, Bhubaneswar, to be present on the next date in the virtual mode with his explanation as to why he is not filing counter-affidavit with regard to the issues involved in the present petition and why per day cost be not imposed upon him,” the bench stated.

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