Vacate forest land encroached by KIIT: NGT

Bhubaneswar: National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday directed Odisha Chief Secretary to vacate KIIT and KISS from the encroached forest land.

The NGT, Kolkata directed to mark and construct boundary to prevent any further encroachment on the forest land.

Acting on a petition filed by rights activist Subash Mohapatra, the green authority of India directed to restore the forest land which was illegally grabbed by KIIT and KISS.

Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Shankar Prasad Pani urged the tribunal to take stringent measures.

Earlier, NGT had directed KIIT and KISS to maintain a status quo on the construction activities on the forest land, which it has allegedly grabbed in the capital city of Odisha.

NGT had sought responses of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Odisha government and Kalinga Relief and Charitable Trust, which runs KIIT and KISS, on the issue of the use of forest land for non-forestry purpose without any approval.