CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated a joint investigation into reports of illegal brick kiln activities and unauthorized clay mining in the Balasore district. A multi-agency panel will be tasked with verifying the claims and suggesting corrective actions. This decision was made during NGT’s east zone hearing of a petition by Rajanikanta Jena, a resident of Ambakuduchi in the Basta tehsil.
In the petition, Jena claimed that the illegal clay extraction for the kiln was resulting in environmental pollution, negatively impacting the health and daily lives of local residents. He sought the demolition of the kiln, confiscation of the baked bricks on-site, land restoration, environmental compensation, and accountability for officials who allegedly ignored public complaints.
After considering the arguments from Jena’s counsel, Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy, and reviewing the evidence, the NGT bench—comprising judicial member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Ishwar Singh—concluded on May 26 that the allegations raised significant concerns about environmental protection and the enforcement of laws under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. The NGT’s ruling was made public online on Monday.
To investigate further, the bench established a joint committee including representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), and the district magistrate of Balasore. The committee is to convene within two weeks to conduct a field inspection, engage with the petitioner and the project proponents, validate claims, and propose suitable remedial actions.
The tribunal appointed the district magistrate of Balasore as the primary contact for coordinating the investigation and ensuring compliance with its directives. The committee must submit its findings within a month.
The NGT also issued notices to various officials including the chief secretary, Balasore collector, Basta tehsildar, and Balasore mining officer, as well as two private parties mentioned in the petition. They have six weeks to respond, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for July 23.
According to the petition, operations at the Ambakuduchi brick kiln were being conducted without the necessary environmental approvals and pollution control clearances.
The petition specified that the kiln lacked environmental clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Odisha, as well as Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the OSPCB.
