NGT hauls up authorities for fly ash dumping on forest land

Time of India

4 days ago

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Cuttack: The
National Green Tribunal
(NGT) on Tuesday pulled up Odisha authorities over large-scale dumping of fly ash on forest land in Dhenkanal district and directed the Odisha State Pollution Control Board to identify the violator and initiate action, including recovery of environmental compensation.
A Talcher-based NGO had filed a petition alleging that more than five acres of forest and govt land under Parjang tehsil had been encroached and fly ash illegally dumped. The petitioner was represented by advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy.
The NGT's east zone bench in Kolkata had on Feb 25 constituted a committee led by the collector (Dhenkanal) to investigate the matter. Following an inspection on April 17, 2025, submitted a report on May 7, confirming the allegations, stating that there was large-scale dumping of fly ash over forest land, estimated at 40,687 MT, spread over 16,275 square metres (approximately 4 acres).
In the July 22 order, the bench comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) observed that while the inspection confirmed the dumping, the committee was silent on the source of the fly ash. The bench criticised local authorities, including the tehsildar, divisional forest officer and the Odisha State Pollution Control Board, for failing to detect the dumping, calling it a case of "dereliction of duty.
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The NGT has directed the Odisha State Pollution Control Board to thoroughly investigate the source and violator, and initiate environmental compensation proceedings after giving the violator due notice and hearing. "Proceedings for recovery of environmental compensation shall be initiated against the violator," the order stated, while seeking a compliance report by Dec 31, 2025.
On the issue of encroachment on govt revenue land, the bench clarified it did not fall within its jurisdiction unless an environmental aspect was involved. It took note of eviction proceedings already initiated against a private party encroaching upon Gramya Jungle land and asked the state authorities to complete the process and restore the land through tree plantation.
For the part of Khalpal reserve forest found without forest growth, the bench directed that native tree plantation be carried out and the area secured with fencing or proper markings by Oct 31, 2025.