Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has reiterated its order for "eviction of all illegal encroachments" and "removal of all illegal constructions" on the riverbanks/beds of the Mahanadi and Kathajodi.

The NGT's east zone bench in Calcutta retained its October 16, 2017 order except for modifying the deadline to restore the Bali yatra site on the Mahanadi bank every year and allowing another week's time. The district administration is also expected to file its first action taken report by April 16.

"All illegal encroachments of the riverbanks/beds of Mahanadi and Kathajodi at Cuttack shall be evicted by the district administration and all illegal constructions on riverbanks/beds shall be removed following the provisions of law and an action taken report shall be filed by it every six months in the registry (of NGT)," the October order had specified.

It issued the order on a petition by environmental activist Biswajit Mohanty. "The bench of judicial member Justice S.P.Wangdi modified the order after the district administration pleaded on Thursday that it was not humanly possible to restore the Bali yatra site to its original shape within the stipulated period because of its massive size," petitioner counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said on Saturday.

The tribunal had specified in its October order that the Bali yatra site "shall be completely restored by the 9th day of commencement of the festival". Following the district administration's plea on Thursday, the tribunal modified the deadline to the 15th day of the commencement of the festival, Pani said.