The Odisha High Court on Monday refused to vacate its interim order of maintaining status quo with regard to construction of the power plant being set up by KVK Nilachal Power near Athagarh in Cuttack district.

Earlier, the construction work of the thermal power plant had come to a halt with the High Court imposing restrictions on it. The court today directed the National Board of Wildlife to decide on the application filed by the company within two weeks and send the report to the court, said Aditya Dash, counsel for the petitioner.