NGT stops earth excavation by pvt company on railway track route

Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned further excavation of earth or morrum by the private construction company engaged for raising the earth bed for the third line railway track from Bhadrak to Nirgundi.NGT’s east zone bench in Kolkata imposed the restriction on Tuesday while adjudicating on an application that had alleged illegal extraction of the minor minerals by the private contractor while carrying out construction work.Srikanta Kumar Pakal and other residents of the area filed the petition while advocate Sankar Prasad Pani represented the petitioners during hearing in virtual mode.The East Coast Railways had in their affidavit categorically stated that they had entered into a contract with the private contractor for earth work and minor bridges in the flyover portion between Byree-Kapilas Road in Bhadrak-Nergundi 3rd line project.The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Odisha had categorically stated in an affidavit that no Environmental Clearance (EC) has been issued in favour of the private contractor for extraction of earth/morrum from various places of Tangi-Choudwar tehsil in Cuttack district or any other district for construction of the said railway track.Taking note of it, the bench of B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr. Satyagopal Korlapati (Expert Member) said: “In this view of the matter, we restrain the private contractor from carrying out any further excavation of earth or morrum during the pendency of the present application.”

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