The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday has put brakes on the environmentally-damaging construction activity in Sikharchandi Hills, a part of Chandaka Wildlife Division, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

Besides ordering the construction activity to be kept in abeyance, a four-member vacation bench of NGT directed constitution of a four-member joint committee for independent inquiry of the matter.

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“Having regard to the irreversible consequences of the ongoing project, we direct that the project, in question, may be held in abeyance till next date of hearing (5 July next)”, the NGT bench ordered.

“Accordingly, with a view to independently ascertain the factual position, we constitute a four-member joint Committee to be headed by the Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhubaneswar with other members being representatives of Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Board and District Magistrate, Khurda,” the apex green panel directed.

A local resident Sachin Mohapatra had drawn the attention and sought NGT’s urgent intervention against the damage to the environment by construction works including earth moving, blasting of rocks, and felling of trees in Sikharchandi Hills.

Sikharchandi Hill is a part of eastern ghat mountains, which is extremely rich in biodiversity with varied flora and fauna. Various rare species of wild and medicinal plants are abundant in this hill area. There is no forest clearance for cutting of trees as per Forest (Conservation) Act, the petition maintained.

The petition had also pointed out that the hill is home to rare medicinal and wild plants by saying that it is documented in reputed journals on the subject.

It does prima facie appear that the project may be in violation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and may result in damage to the biodiversity, particularly, rare and endangered medicinal and wild plant species and overall integrity of the hill. Thus, intervention of this Tribunal may be necessary under section 15 of the NGT Act to prevent further damage and to restore the damage already done after independent verification of facts, the NGT concluded.