The eastern zone bench of National Green Tribunal has directed the Odisha Government agencies in Nayagarh district to reclaim the encroached patches reserve forestland and slap environmental compensation against the violators for damage caused to forest classified land.

The two-member bench of the NGT passed an order in this regard while taking cognizance of a petition filed by environment activist Srikant Das.

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“We dispose of the present petition with a direction to the Divisional Forest Officer, Khordha and the Collector and the Collector and District Magistrate, Nayagarh to take immediate steps for removing the illegal encroachments from the plots in question and restoring the land to its original form. Let this exercise be completed within one month hereof.

The respondents shall also compute the environmental compensation against the violators for damage caused to the Reserve Forest land and take steps for recovery of the same,” the two-member Bench of NGT directed in a recent order.

Two private individuals were involved in illegal encroachment, clearing of trees and construction of a farm house building over reserved forest land at Akhupadar revenue village of Ranapur Tehsil in Nayagarh District of Odisha.

The duo also built roads within the reserve forest and constructed a farm house on the forestland, digging ponds and grabbing lakhs of rupees in the form of government financial assistance under various schemes, the petitioner’s counsel Akhand pointed out.

It is also stated that financial assistance was provided for poultry farm and fish farming in those ponds in the Reserved Forest Area and special subsidy was also granted to the encroachers by the Nayagarh Agriculture Department and Horticulture Department for fruit farming.

It is also alleged that in these illegal activities, the departmental officers of Nayagarh district are involved since without their knowledge it would not have taken place.

NGT had earlier ordered the constitution of a committee headed by District Collector to visit the site and submit compliance report, the petitioner’s counsel Akhand added.