Bhubaneswar: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday slapped Rs 7.25 crore fine on a leaseholder for carrying out illegal laterite stone quarry mining at Sahadaghai under Tangi police limits in Odisha’s Khurda district.
While the fine has been imposed towards environmental compensation as the mining was carried place in areas adjoining the leased land, including forest areas, the green panel also held tehsildars serving in Tangi from 2021 to November 2022 responsible for negligence and ordered for action against them.
The tribunal has directed Khurda sub-collector to promulgate Section 144 CrPC over the plots of Sahadaghai mouza with immediate effect to stop the illegal mining. It has also sought action taken report (ATR) within three days.
A laterite quarry in Sahadaghai was auctioned and given on lease in 2021 to Patitapaban Barik. The state government incurred a loss of Rs 7.81 crore due to illegal mining by Barik in areas other than the leased plot, sources said.
He had started mining before getting the environmental clearance for laterite stone quarry over an area of 6.32 acres on May 11, 2022. Y Form issued on March 9, 2022, confirmed illegal mining being carried out by him.
Three FIRs were lodged against Barik for allegedly carrying out mining beyond the leased area in five different plots including forest areas. Seven vehicles, two power tillers, and one motorcycle engaged in the illegal mining were also seized. The areas mined by Barik were full of acacia, cashew, and other trees and the land marked as ‘Forest Land’ in the Sabik records.
“You may be aware that there is a huge amount of laterite stone deposits in Khurda and parts of Nayagarh district. There is no doubt that they are all part of the illegal mining,” lawyer Shankar Pani told the media.
