NGT Halts Dhenkanal Stone Crushers for Illegal Land Use

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated an immediate cessation of operations for four stone crusher units located in the Dhenkanal district of Odisha. This decisive action follows the identification of prima facie evidence suggesting the unauthorized occupation of Gramya Jungle and land extending beyond the scope of their issued no-objection certificates (NOCs).

The NGT's eastern zone bench, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh, issued an order on September 16. This order strictly prohibits the four identified units from operating their crushers or engaging in any mining activities in the affected areas until further notice.

Invoking the precautionary principle, the NGT has instructed the Dhenkanal collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) to rigorously enforce this shutdown order. The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has been tasked with obtaining an assessment from ORSAC regarding the volume of illegally extracted minerals and imposing environmental compensation where violations are confirmed.

The tribunal's intervention stems from a petition filed by a Talcher-based NGO, which raised concerns about widespread illegal mining. The NGO alleged that quarrying, involving blasting and heavy machinery, continued in Nishinta hill and adjoining reserved forest areas despite existing restrictions, leading to the extraction of an estimated 20,000 tonnes of stone.

A joint committee, previously formed by the NGT, had raised significant concerns regarding land encroachment by these crusher units. Investigations revealed that some units had occupied substantial portions of Gramya Jungle land, far exceeding their NOC areas. In one instance, a unit with an NOC for 6.67 acres was found to have acquired approximately 13.4 acres, based on drone photography and precise area calculations.

The next hearing for this critical environmental case is scheduled for September 25.