NGT forms committee to find factual position on environmental damage at Chandaka Wildlife Division in Odisha

New Delhi [India], June 12 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday constituted a committee to find out the alleged damage to the environment by construction works including earth moving, blasting of rocks, and felling of trees in Sikharchandi Hills, a part of Chandaka Wildlife Division in Khurda, Odisha.

"The committee may meet within one week, undertake a visit to the site, interact with the concerned stakeholders including WATCO and after ascertaining factual position, particularly with regard to the illegal felling of trees, loss of biodiversity and other damage to the environment, including cutting of the hill and submit a factual and action taken report to this tribunal within three weeks," said the NGT.

The bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said, with a view to independently ascertain the factual position, we constitute a four-member joint Committee to be headed by the Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), Regional Office, MoEF&CC, Bhubaneswar with other members being representatives of CPCB, State PCB and District Magistrate, Khurda.

NGT further said, "Considering the material, it does prima facie appear that the project may be in violation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and may result in damage to the bio-diversity, particularly, rare and endangered medicinal and wild plant species and overall integrity of the hill."

"Thus, the intervention of this Tribunal may be necessary under section 15 of the NGT Act to prevent further damage and to restore the damage already done after independent verification of facts," added the Tribunal.

NGT further noted that the applicant/Sachin Mohapatra has drawn our attention to photographs showing construction activities, cutting of trees and apparent damage by such activities in the context of loss of biodiversity. It is pointed out that the availability of rare medicinal and wild plants in the area stands documented in reputed journals on the subject.

According to the applicants, Sikharchandi Hill is a part of the eastern Ghat mountains, which is extremely rich in bio-diversity with varied flora and fauna. Various rare species of wild and medicinal plants are abundant in this hill area. There is no forest clearance for cutting of trees as per Forest (Conservation) Act, alleged the petition.