Report filed by the Office of the Collector and District Magistrate, Keonjhar on the operation of Kantipal Stone Quarry located in Anandapur tahasil, Kendujhar district, Odisha.

The joint committee conducted a field visit to Kantipal stone quarry area, November 14, 2022. It was observed that the major mining pits are about 1.26 km away from the boundary of Hadagarh wildlife sanctuary and about 0.76 km away from the boundary of proposed eco-sensitive zone and 1.18 km away from the proposed tiger corridor. The committee recommended that till final notification of eco-sensitive zone by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change - no mining activities shall be permitted in the said area. The Tahasildar, Anandapur shall ensure that there should not be any illegal mining activities in the locality by isolating the site.

The report also recommended that the forest department need to take up soil and moisture conservation work as a remedial measure for rejuvenating the area by recharging the groundwater.

Note: The report of November 14, 2022 was uploaded to the NGT site December 16, 2022