10-05-2025
NGT asks OSPCB to recover Rs 1.20cr green compensation from firm for illegal morrum extraction
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Cuttack: National Green Tribunal (
NGT
) has directed the
Odisha Pollution Control Board
(PCB) to recover Rs 1.20 crore in
environmental compensation
from a firm for illegal extraction of morrum and utilising it in the construction of the Bhadrak-Nirgundi third railway line east zone bench in Kolkata asked OSPCB to take action for recovery of the compensation in accordance with law after giving full opportunity of hearing to the private firm engaged for constructing earth bed for the tracks.
The bench comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) passed the order after a committee recommended to impose environmental compensation of Rs 1.20 crore on the firm while confirming illegal extraction of morrum in Tangi-Choudwar tehsil area."We do not wish to express any opinion on the merits of the computation of the environmental compensation as any observation made by us, may prejudice his defence in challenge before the same competent forum while availing the judicial remedies available to him under law," the bench clarified in its order issued on May 2 and uploaded on May committee was constituted to ascertain the veracity of allegations of illegal extraction of minor minerals made in a petition filed by Srikant Kumar Pakal and three other residents of the area. Advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy represented the was argued on behalf of the firm that there were many other contractors who were engaged by the railways over a period of time for the project but only their name had been singled the bench said the enquiry report was arrived at after examining various complaints against the firm and it was found that it had also deposited Rs 4 lakh towards royalty and penalty for illegal extraction of earth and morrum. "Therefore, the question of examining other contractors in the matter of alleged illegal extraction of earth and morrum carried out by the firm does not arise," the bench ruled."From the perusal of the enquiry report of the joint committee constituted by the tribunal and the documents filed on record by the state authorities, it is seen that the firm is a habitual offender in the matter of illegal excavation of earth and morrum for purposes of utilising the same in the construction of the Bhadrak-Nirgundi third line railway project," the bench added.
