Odisha: NGT fines chief secretary, six officials Rs 10,000 each for delay in filing replies

CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal’s East Zone bench has imposed a total fine of Rs 70,000 on seven senior government officials, including state chief secretary, for failing to file their responses in a case alleging environmental violations by a stone crusher unit under Dharmasala tehsil in Jajpur district.

The bench of judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel, Afroz Ahmad and Ishwar Singh granted the officials one final opportunity to file their replies within one month, subject to payment of Rs 10,000 each.

The Rs 10,000 fine has been imposed individually on the chief secretary, additional chief secretary of Revenue & Disaster Management department, additional chief secretary of Forest & Environment department, SP Jajpur, Dharmasala tehsildar, deputy director of mines, Jajpur and deputy director general of Forests, MoEFCC, regional office, Bhubaneswar. Jajpur collector, who is also a party to the case, has submitted his response affidavit.

The order came on a fresh petition filed by way of interlocutory application (IA) filed by Urbashi Jena and two others. The petitioners, in the IA, sought a direction to the deputy director of mines, Jajpur, to assess the minerals excavated from the quarry concerned from December 26, 2025, till date and calculate environmental compensation for alleged illegal mining.

They also sought compensation for the period between March 31, 2022 and March 3, 2023, when the lessee allegedly did not have a valid Environmental Clearance (EC) and Consent to Operate (CTO). Advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy appeared on behalf of the petitioners. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 28, 2026.

The tribunal had initially issued notices on November 4, 2025, directing the respondents to file their replies within a month. Despite a further “last opportunity” granted on May 13, 2026, the responses remained pending, prompting the respondents’ counsel to seek additional time.

Expressing displeasure over the repeated delay, the tribunal observed, “Non-compliance with orders directing filing of replies/reports causes unnecessary adjournments, delay and inconvenience.” It added that appropriate costs should be imposed on defaulting parties to prevent or remedy such delays.

The petitioners have alleged that the crusher violated an EC condition prohibiting establishment of a crusher within 1 km of the quarry lease area. They claimed the land continues to be recorded as Gharabari kissam and has not been legally converted for industrial use.

The petition further alleged that a village pond, anganwadi centre, primary school, temples and several village roads are located within 200-500 metres of the crusher.