The Tribunal's Eastern Zone Bench has opened execution proceedings after an order to clear encroachments and recover environmental compensation went unimplemented.

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• The National Green Tribunal has issued notices to senior Odisha officials and alleged encroachers over non-compliance with its order on encroachments in the Maninag Reserve Forest.
• The land is at Akhupadar village under Ranpur Tahasil in Nayagarh district, and the matter was reported on October 11, 2026.
• The Eastern Zone Bench had passed directions on February 14, 2025, in Original Application No. 108/2024/EZ, concerning alleged forest damage including a farmhouse construction.
• It had directed the Divisional Forest Officer, Khordha, and the Collector of Nayagarh to remove encroachments and restore the land within one month.
• The authorities were also told to calculate environmental compensation for damage to the Reserve Forest land and begin recovering it.
• Applicant Srikant Dash alleged the directions were never implemented, and the Tribunal registered Execution Application No. 06/2026/EZ.
• At a hearing on September 24, 2026, the Bench noted the submission that its earlier order remained unimplemented and issued notices to all respondents seeking replies.
• Respondents include Odisha's Chief Secretary, its Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Nayagarh Collector, the Khordha DFO, the State Pollution Control Board and the Union Environment Ministry's Secretary.
• A joint committee reported that a farmhouse is surrounded by the Reserve Forest and that about 0.57 acres of government land was under alleged illegal possession.
• The Tribunal also recorded findings that roughly 0.28 hectare of land within the Maninag Reserve Forest had been encroached upon.
• It is separately examining the alleged failure to assess and recover environmental compensation for the damage.

Tags: NationalGreenTribunal, ManinagReserveForest, EnvironmentalCompensation