Construction near Tampara Ramsar site under NGT lens

Chhatrapur: Construction of hotels, restaurants and resorts, which allegedly encroached upon the ecologically sensitive Tampara Lake, a Ramsar site near here in Ganjam district, has come to a halt following an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Kolkata.

The eastern zone bench of the tribunal in Kolkata had ordered a halt to all construction activities and scheduled the next date of hearing to August 6. However, many of the constructions are yet to be demolished despite the order of the tribunal.

During an earlier hearing April 3, the state government failed to submit its factual report and sought four weeks’ time, which was granted and the hearing was rescheduled to May 23. Since the report was submitted May 22, the tribunal further deferred the hearing to August 6.

The matter came up before the tribunal after the Cuttack-based Wildlife Society filed a petition August 3, 2023, alleging that the lake area was being encroached upon in violation of environmental norms. A case (88/23) under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, was registered in August 8, 2023.

The tribunal heard the matter August 11 and issued notices to 13 respondents, including the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the state Chief Secretary, Additional Secretary of Forest and Environment department, Ganjam Collector, Berhampur Development Authority, and the Berhampur DFO, directing them to respond within four weeks.

Subsequently, all construction around Tampara Lake was stopped from August 12, 2023. Subsequently, a high-level committee was formed to assess the situation, September 5, 2023. After visiting the site September 22, the Ganjam Collector submitted a factual report to the NGT September 25, 2023, but no action had been initiated to demolish the construction. Consequently, the NGT directed the Collector July 16, 2024, to submit a personal affidavit within four weeks outlining the steps taken to remove the illegal structures.

Notably, Tampara Lake was declared a Ramsar site September 12, 2021, recognising its international ecological significance.

PNN

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