NGT seeks govt response on illegal felling of trees in Khurda

Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought the state govt’s response on a plea seeking intervention against alleged large-scale illegal felling of fruit-bearing trees in government land under Tangi tehsil in Khurda district.
The NGT’s east zone bench in Kolkata was hearing a plea filed by Bishnupriya Mohanty, a resident of Laxminarayanpur (Lakhapada) village which is adjacent to Chimma where the alleged unchecked felling of trees is taking place.
The petitioner expressed apprehensions that if any stringent action is not taken against the private persons, then the illegal felling of trees will continue.
Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani, along with advocate Ashutosh Padh, made submissions on the petitioner’s behalf.
“Since the land is in the record of the revenue department, the district magistrate and the tahasildar as the custodian of the land have the duty of acting against illegal felling and theft of trees by logging them to pieces. But no action is being taken against the miscreants,” the petitioner’s counsels contended.