Disposed

R K Singh v. State of Odisha

NGT4 Aug 2026Original Application No. 85/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The National Green Tribunal East Zone Bench disposed of an original application alleging discharge of toxic effluents by Ostapal Mines. The Bench constituted a joint committee comprising MoEF&CC, Odisha SPCB, and Jajpur DM to verify facts and suggest remedial action within one month.

What did the court decide?

Constitution of a Joint Committee comprising MoEF&CC, OSPCB, and DM Jajpur to verify facts and suggest remedial action within one month.

R K Singh vs State of Odisha — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2026)

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Item No.02

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BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL EASTERN ZONE BENCH, KOLKATA

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(THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING WITH HYBRID MODE)

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Original Application No.85/2026/EZ

R K Singh

Applicant

Versus

State of Odisha Respondent

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Date of hearing: 04.08.2026

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR TYAGI, JUDICIAL MEMBER HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER HON’BLE MR. ISHWAR SINGH, EXPERT MEMBER

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Applicant: Mr. R.K. Singh, the applicant in person (through VC).

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ORDER

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Mr. R.K. Singh has sent the present letter petition through email dated 12.09.2025 to this Tribunal which has been treated and registered as O.A. No.85/2026/EZ for exercise of suo-motu jurisdiction in view of

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law laid down by Hon’ble Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai Versus Ankita Sinha and others, (2022) 13 SCC 401 .

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The applicant has raised grievance regarding discharge of carcinogenic water in Dhamsa Nala by Ostapal Mines. The relevant part of the O.A. enumerating grievances of the applicant is reproduced as

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below:-

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“CPCB Shies away from Vedanta Pollution issue”

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Jajpur; August 31: Through the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has sought a reply from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) on its clean chit to Vedanta-owned Facor Ostapal chromite mines in Sukinda over discharge of toxic effluents into Damsala nullah, the latter continues to maintain its silence on the issue and is yet file a reply, a report said. The Facor Ostapal chromite mines are being operated by the Vedanta group in Sukinda. It is alleged that the industrial and mining giant is discharging toxic effluents from the mines into Damsala nullah and polluting the water body, which is a natural --- in the area. The effluents containing various harmful chemicals and minerals have been posing a major health risk to the people in the area. A case regarding the alleged discharge of toxic effluents into the Damsala nullah is sub-judice before the CPCB.

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Proof regarding the allegations was confirmed from a WhatsApp chat between the Vedanta mining staff. Despite the serious allegations, the regional officer of SPCB at Kalinganagar has given a clean chit to Vedanta. A report in this regard has been submitted by the member secretary of SPCB before the CPCB, June 21.

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However, MK Choudhury of DHPR division of CPCB shot off a letter (CB/PR/PG/2021-22) to the member secretary of SPCB seeking his reply after the petitioner RK Singh raised objections to the clean chit given to Vedanta. SPCB is yet to file its response on the issue while, the CPCB too has fallen silent.

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According to the complaint, around 15 lakh cubic metres of toxic water and effluents were discharged into the Damsala nullah over a month instead of sending it to the effluent treatment plant of the mining major. Peeved over the development, the complaint RK Singh as well as the residents had lodged complaints with the Union Government’s Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System as well as with Jajpur District Collector and SPCB.

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As directed by the CPCB, the SPCB conducted a probe into the charges but submitted a report giving a clean chit to Vedanta. The SPCB ruled out any discharge of effluents into Damsala nullah by Vedanta. Later, the complainant RK Singh lodged a complaint before the CPCB July 6, 2021 alleging that the discharge of effluents into Damsala nullah has been proved. He alleged that either the official of the SPCB conducting the investigation is ignorant of the matter or has submitted a favorable report yielding to pressures from Vedanta. He urged the CPCB to conduct a fair and impartial probe into the charges.

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Accordingly, the CPCB has sought a reply from SPCB asking the latter to clarify the charges made by the complainant. Meanwhile, the complainant Singh has filed several reminders before the CPCB through e-mails but the former is yet to respond to his queries. Repeated attempts to contact the SPCB regional officer Pramod Kumar Behera on his phone failed to yield any result as he did not pick up the calls.

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The O.A. was taken up for hearing on 16.04.2026 on which date the matter was adjourned due to some technical glitch.

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We have heard the applicant and gone through the material on record.

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We have gone through the O.A. and the documents attached with the same.

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The averments made in the O.A. raise substantial questions relating to environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule-I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

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It may be observed here that this Tribunal had, vide order dated 10.07.2026 passed in O.A. No. 73/2024/EZ titled Mantu Das Vs. State of Odisha and others, directed OSPCB to periodically inspect effluent treatment systems installed in all the chromite mining industries for

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verifying whether the same are strictly maintained to ensure effective treatment and compliance with discharge standards and in case of violation, to take appropriate punitive, remedial and rehabilitative action in accordance with law by giving concerned Project Proponent opportunity of being heard. This Tribunal also directed OSPCB to upload the periodical inspection/action taken reports on its website.

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In the present case, inspection by OSPCB is yet to be conducted in terms of the order passed by this Tribunal. 9. However, it may be added here that the applicant has alleged in the O.A. that OSPCB has submitted a favorable report yielding to pressure from Facor Ostapal chromite mines. 10. In view of the averments made in the O.A., we consider it necessary to get the factual position verified by constituting a Joint Committee comprising the representatives of the concerned authorities which are also under statutory obligation to take appropriate remedial action on the basis thereof. 11. Accordingly, we constitute a Joint Committee comprising of representatives of the Integrated Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha Pollution Control Board and District Magistrate, Jajpur, Odisha and direct the same to undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, associate the applicant and representative of the concerned project proponent, verify the factual position and suggest appropriate remedial action.

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The Joint Committee is directed to submit its report, within one month from the date of receipt of copy of this Order, before Registrar, Eastern Zone Bench at Kolkata and to send a copy of the report to the concerned authorities who shall be bound to take appropriate action in accordance with law by giving opportunity of being heard to the project

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proponent in compliance with Principles of Natural Justice and to file action taken report before learned Registrar, Eastern Zone Bench at Kolkata within next one month from the date of receipt of a copy of the report of the Joint Committee.

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The District Magistrate, Jajpur, Odisha will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance regarding submission of the report of the Joint Committee and filing of action taken reports by the concerned authorities.

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The Registrar, Eastern Zone Bench at Kolkata may place the matter before the Bench if reports are not filed as directed above and also if on receipt of the reports further orders are considered to be necessary.

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The present original application is disposed of accordingly with directions as mentioned above.

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A copy of this order may be sent to the Deputy Director General, Forests, MoEF&CC, Integrated Regional Office, Bhubaneswar, the Member Secretary, Odisha State Pollution Control Board and the District Magistrate, Jajpur by e-mail for information/compliance.

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Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM

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Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

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Ishwar Singh, EM

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August 4^th , 2026 Original Application No.85/2026/EZ AM

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R K Singh v. State of Odisha

Case brief

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R K Singh v. State of Odisha

Case brief

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