The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ganjam district Collector to initiate departmental proceedings against Sanakhemundi Tehsildar for extending patronage to illegal stone quarrying activities within the eco-sensitive zone of Lakhari Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.
The NGT’s Eastern Zone branch, Kolkata ordered disciplinary action against the revenue officer for criminal complicity, causing gross economic loss to the State exchequer and environmental degradation.
“The District Collector, Ganjam is directed to initiate departmental proceedings against the Tehsildar, Sanakhemundi, whose complicity with the alleged unidentified person/persons carrying on illegal stone quarrying is prima facie borne out from the records in spite of the fact that the report mentions that the quarry is located within 6 kilometers of the eco-sensitive zone of Lakhari Valley Wildlife Sanctuary”, NGT ordered.
“We are surprised to note that stone quarrying was going on right under the nose of Tehsildar and yet a stand has been taken by the Tehsildar that the persons who have illegally extracted stones from the quarry have not been identified”, the tribunal observed.