Haripriya Patel vs State Of Odisha on 7 November, 2024

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National Green Tribunal

Haripriya Patel vs State Of Odisha on 7 November, 2024

Bench: Satyagopal Korlapati

Item No.02                                                     Court No.1


          BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
             EASTERN ZONE BENCH, KOLKATA
             (THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING WITH HYBRID MODE)


                   Original Application No.207/2024/EZ

Smt. Haripriya Patel                                           Applicant(s)
                                  Versus
State of Odisha                                                Respondent(s)

Date of hearing: 07.11.2024
CORAM:       HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. AMIT STHALEKAR, JUDICIAL MEMBER
             HON'BLE DR. SATYAGOPAL KORLAPATI, EXPERT MEMBER

For Applicant(s)   : Ms. Haripriya Patel, in person (in Virtual Mode)

                               ORDER

1. Heard Ms. Haripriya Patel, the Applicant appearing in person (in Virtual Mode).

2. The present case has been taken up in pursuance of an article published in the New Indian Express dated 19.08.2024 "Three jumbos die in Odisha in 24 hours, electrocution cases rise". The article also mentions that: -

a) one elephant calf dies after being hit by a goods train on the Rourkela-Bimlagarh line near Roxy of Barsuan range under the Bonai Forest Division (BFD) in District: Sundargarh in the early hours on Sunday dated 18.08.2024;

b) a female elephant aged about 7 years died in Tamra Forest in Gurundia Block on the night of August 15 due to diseases; and

c) an adult female elephant was electrocuted in a forest in Charadapasi village under Naktideul range of Rairakhol division in Sambalpur district on Sunday.

3. Reference has also been made to a news article published in the Times of India on 04.10.2023 which mentioned that as many as 698 1 elephants died in the state of Odisha in eight years since 2015-16 and the annual elephant mortality rate comes to 87.

4. The above news articles have been forwarded to this Bench of the Tribunal by the Applicant Ms. Haripriya Patel vide email dated 21.08.2024.

5. Matter requires consideration.

6. We also direct the following may be impleaded in the array of respondents: -

i) The Chief Secretary, Department of Environment and Forests, Government of Odisha;

ii) Divisional Forest Officer, Bonai Forest Division (BFD), District:

Sundargarh, Odisha

7. Issue notice to the Respondent Nos.1 and 2, State Respondents, Government of Odisha returnable within four weeks.

8. The respondents shall file their counter affidavits within four weeks.

9. Registry of the Tribunal shall serve e-copy/soft copy of the Original Application along with all its annexures as well as the copy of the articles published in the Newspapers upon the Counsel for the Respondents who have accepted the notices, within 48 hours.

10. List on 09.12.2024.

..................................... B. Amit Sthalekar, JM ................................................ Dr. Satyagopal Korlapati, EM November 07, 2024, Original Application No.207/2024/EZ SKB 2

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