NGT Forms Expert Panel To Probe ‘Illegal’ Stone Mining In Odisha’s Dharmasala

Cuttack: The east zone bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a probe into alleged illegal stone quarrying at Rahadpur in Dharmasala tehsil of Odisha’s Jajpur district.

An expert panel constituted for the purpose would investigate the matter.

The NGT bench of B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) gave the directive while hearing a petition filed by the residents of the area, alleging excess mining in areas close to two minor irrigation projects near Nischinta reserve forest, on Monday. Illegal and unabated blasting for stone mining was also damaging houses, roads and agricultural land, and polluting the groundwater, petitioners’ lawyer Sankar Prasad Pani further claimed.

The committee, which includes senior scientists from Odisha State Pollution Control Board and State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, Deputy Director of Mines (Jajpur) and district collector, has been directed to inspect the site and submit a report within four weeks.

The next hearing has been posted for March 6.