NGT orders probe into river ‘encroachment’

Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a probe by a joint committee into alleged encroachment on the Prachi river for the model bus stand project at Kakatpur in Puri district.Dr Laxmidhar Biswal, a resident of Astaranga area, filed a letter petition alleging the encroachment had caused irreparable loss to the river.Acting on it, NGT’s principal bench in New Delhi on February 16 said, “Considering the nature of complaint made in the letter petition, we deem it proper to form a joint committee comprising the representative of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), member secretary, Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), and district magistrate (Puri).”The bench of chairperson Prakash Shrivastava and two other members said, “The joint committee will visit the site, ascertain the truthfulness of the allegations made in the letter petition, suggest remedial measures, and submit a report within two months before the eastern zonal bench, Kolkata.” The district magistrate will act as a nodal agency for coordination and compliance, the bench added.While observing the complaint “raises substantial issue relating to compliance of environmental norms”, the bench also issued notices to the member secretary, OSPCB, principal secretary, irrigation department, DM (Puri), member secretary (CPCB) and ministry of environment, forests and climate change.Since the matter relates to the NGT eastern zonal bench, Kolkata, the bench transferred the matter and directed the respondents to file their response at least one week before April 18, the date for next hearing on the matter.

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