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New Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NGT lens on illegal transfer of forest land for industry
CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT)'s east zone bench in Kolkata has admitted a petition filed by three residents of Sundargarh district alleging illegal transfer of 6.36 acres of forest land to private companies for industrial purposes. The petitioners -Pradeep Kumar Das, Ramakanta Biswal and Patel Lakra - have claimed that forest land in Kalokudar, classified as Gramya Jungle (revenue forest), was transferred to private entities in violation of the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 2023 and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The petitioners alleged that Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) had provisionally allotted the forest land to two private companies for setting up steel, iron and ferro alloys units without securing the mandatory clearance from the central government under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act. Representing the petitioners, advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy appeared virtually before the bench comprising Judicial Member Justice B Amit Sthalekar and Expert Member Dr Arun Kumar Verma. Taking note of the allegations, the bench issued notices to the state government, IDCO, the Union of India, and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. 'All the respondents shall file their counter-affidavits within four weeks. List on August 21, 2025,' the bench directed. According to the petition, the land in question is part of a dense forest in a Scheduled V Area, which enjoys special constitutional protections due to its predominantly tribal population. It was further claimed construction activities by the companies pose a serious environmental threat, with hundreds of trees at risk of being felled.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Time of India
NGT notice over ‘illegal' Sundargarh forest land transfer
1 2 Cuttack: National Green Tribunal (NGT), East Zone Bench in Kolkata, on Wednesday issued notices to the state govt, the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC), and the Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) over the alleged illegal transfer of 6.36 acres of forest land to private companies in Sundargarh district. The order came after a petition was filed by three local residents — Pradeep Kumar Das, Ramakanta Biswal, and Patel Lakra — who claimed that IDCO provisionally allotted 'gramya jungle' (village forest land) in Kalokudar to two private companies for establishing steel, iron, and ferro-alloys units. The land falls under a Schedule V area and reportedly has dense forest cover. Scheduled areas have special provisions for the administration and protection of tribal communities. Advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy represented the petitioners. The bench, comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member), observed that the matter "requires consideration" and directed all respondents to file their counter-affidavits within four weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for Aug 21, 2025. The petitioners alleged that the transfer and construction activity were carried out without the mandatory prior approval of the central govt under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and also violated the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 2023. The petition also mentioned a letter dated Feb 24 written by one of the petitioners to the divisional forest officer (DFO), Rourkela, seeking cancellation of the land allotment. Acting on it, the DFO-cum-wildlife warden issued a direction on Mar 6 asking the companies to stop all construction activities. However, the petitioners claim that work continued in violation of forest laws. Among the state authorities issued notices to file replies within four weeks are the additional chief secretary, forest and environment department, managing director of IDCO, Sundargarh collector, Lathikata tehsildar and divisional forest officer-cum-wildlife warden (Rourkela forest division). The tribunal also issued notices to the two private companies.
