Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding discharge of wastewater by the municipality of Belpahar on a farmers land, Jharsuguda, Odisha, 15/05/2025
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Nabin Kisan Vs State of Odisha & Others dated 15/05/2025.
The matter related to discharge of wastewater by the municipality of Belpahar on the applicants land. The affidavit filed by the District Magistrate, Jharsuguda, May 14, 2025 stated that temporary arrangement has been made by the Executive Officer, Belpahar for storage of untreated sewage discharge and the waste water is being lifted on regular basis through cesspool emptier of the municipality. Further a survey has been conducted by one Ecometrix Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Bhubaneswar for diversion of untreated sewage discharge and an estimated amount of Rs 16,27,40,000 has been prepared as per the letter of the applicant Nabin Kisan.
Justice B Amit Sthalekar said that the court fails to understand how the applicant, Nabin Kisan "has any role in the matter of the estimated amount for diversion of the untreated sewage discharge".
"He is an uneducated, poorest of the poor villager, and agriculturist owning a small patch of agricultural land over which the Municipality has allowed the discharge of municipal waste without even the consent of the Applicant," Justice Sthalekar said.
All that the applicant is seeking through the application and various miscellaneous applications which have been filed before the court is that the sewage should be removed from his land and his land be restored and he be compensated adequately.
Special counsel for state of Odisha has prayed for two weeks time by which time the counsel will come up with the status report showing what action the state is taking in the matter with regard to restoration of the land of the applicant as well as payment of compensation to him for the damage already caused.
The NGT reprimended the state authorities for failing to respond to the matter and said that as a welfare state, it is expected that the concerned state authorities should have paid special attention to the matter of an extremely poor agriculturist whose land has been encroached by the Executive Officer, Belpahar Municipality. All this has led to the degradation of the land of the applicant, which has been admitted in the various affidavits placed on record, the court pointed out. The NGT directed that affidavit should be filed by the state of Odisha on the matter within two weeks. The next hearing of the case is on June 30, 2025.