Bhubaneswar: Amid allegations of violating the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to prohibit any kind of work on Sikharchandi hill for a water supply project, a four-member team of the tribunal visited Odisha to take stock of the situation in the Capital today.

As per reports, resentment has been building up among members of the Sikharchandi Anchalika Suraksha Samiti who have objected to the ongoing activities in violation of the NGT order and alleged that trees are still being felled for the project.

On the team's arrival, the samiti members along with residents of 15 mouza in the area, Jatni MLA Sura Rout and environmentalists Prafulla Samantara and Dillip Srichandan held discussions on the reported flouting of orders in the area.

Voicing resentment, the samiti members raised questions as to how work was being carried on without any prior public hearing meeting as there has been a stay order on around 121 acres of land atop the hill and demanded reforestation of the area. They also warned that they will not allow the project work to continue in the name of development.

The tribunal team shared that the review visit was necessitated by the NGT order on reported flouting of its directions. They admitted to non-compliance of the same in the area.

"A report will be submitted to the NGT after reviewing the situation with local enforcement team and subsequent course of action will be decided upon," the NGT team shared.