NGT orders Odisha govt to restore 2 riverbanks damaged by illegal extraction

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Odisha government to restore the riverbanks of the Mahanadi and Brahmani in Kendrapara district that have been adversely impacted by illegal excavation. The green tribunal was hearing a petition filed by four persons against the extraction of minor minerals and earth by the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd for the construction of 81-km long Haridaspur-Paradip railway line.

The contractors are allegedly procuring soil for the construction of the earth-bed of the railway line without an environmental clearance certificate or sanction from any competent authority.

The NGT directed the district collector, who is also the chairperson of the District Environment Impact Assessment Authority, to take all necessary security measures, including deploying monitoring teams, to ensure that there was no illegal excavation in the area.

"Strict surveillance measures through satellite monitoring, as well as installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations, may be ensured," the eastern-zone bench of the NGT said on Thursday.

The two-member bench also directed the government to ensure compliance with NIT Rourkela's recommendations within four months to mitigate the adverse environmental impact.

In an order in February 2020, the tribunal had directed the district collector and the State Pollution Control Board to file an action-taken report regarding restoration of the area, from where soil and sand had been illegally excavated. On the tribunal's directions, the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, had assessed the environmental damage due to illegal mining and prepared a restoration plan in the affected area.

The NIT stated that appropriate measures were required immediately to curb illegal excavation, which is continuing for several reasons, including brick-making with the alleged connivance of some local influential people.

The report had identified two prominent locations in the Brahmani and Mahanadi river banks that have been severely impacted by the illegal excavations. It suggested measures like filling up the excavated land with sand or soil, followed by plantation to prevent soil erosion.

The NIT said the excavations were likely to have a serious impact on the riverbank and environment in the long run.

Most of the sites are presently under paddy cultivation and show no visible environmental impact. Some of the excavated lands have been converted to ponds for fish cultivation and other beneficial uses by the landowners, it added.

The bench directed the collector to file an action-taken report by March 31 next.

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