4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NGT seeks reply from state over ‘illegal' jetty in Chilika
CUTTACK: The East Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Kolkata has issued notices to multiple authorities in Odisha over alleged illegal construction of a concrete jetty in the ecologically-sensitive Chilika lake by a private company.
The bench comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member), heard the petition filed by Maa Kalijaee Motor Boat Workers Union, represented by advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy.
The petitioner society, a collective of traditional boat workers and fishermen, alleged that their community has been seeking construction of a government-sanctioned jetty to support tourism and fishing livelihoods. However, their demands were ignored while a private company began unauthorised construction of a concrete jetty on the banks of the lake at Garadwar in Khurda district .
The bench observed that the matter warrants serious consideration and issued notices to the member secretaries of Odisha State Pollution Control Board, SCZMA, State Wetland Authority, chief executive of Chilika Development Authority, and the private company involved. All respondents have been directed to file counter-affidavits within four weeks. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 15.
According to the petition, the construction violates provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019, as the site falls under CRZ-III A and CRZ-IV B categories, both highly regulated zones with specific restrictions. The CRZ-III A refers to densely populated rural areas where no development is permitted within 50 mtr of the high tide Line. The CRZ-IV B includes tidal water bodies and associated areas extending to the low tide line on opposite banks.
The petition has also sought demolition of the illegal jetty and restoration of the site, along with exemplary cost imposition on the private company for environmental violations, including discharge of untreated sewage into Chilika lake. They alleged that no clearance has been issued for the Garadwar site by the State Coastal Zone Management Authority (SCZMA). The only CRZ clearance granted to the private company was for a floating jetty in Satapada in Puri district on the opposite side of the lake.
