Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal has ordered an administrative probe into the illegal use of forest land for the pipeline of a private distillery in Boudh.

The green panel said it expected an enquiry and action taken report on the alleged illegal use of forest land for a pipeline to draw water from the Mahanadi to Boudh Distillery Private Limited at Ramvikata. The panel's east zone bench in Calcutta ordered the probe after Jayanta Dehury and four other villagers of Fakirpur, Titrikata, Bishnupur and adjoining villages filed a petition seeking its intervention.

"The petition came up on Friday. The Bench of judicial member Justice S.P. Wangdi posted the matter to February 9 along with the report of the district magistrate and the divisional forest officer concerned," petitioner's counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said on Monday.

The petition alleged that the district administration and the project promoter forcefully entered and dug up the land using earth movers and started the pipeline work with the help of around 200 police personnel on December 28, 2017, despite protests from villagers.

In his January 12 order, Justice Wangdi said: ".....we direct the district magistrate and the divisional forest officer, Boudh, to inspect the unit in question and verify the veracity of the allegations contained in the application and submit a report."

The order specified that the report should mention the action taken and the outcome if the allegations proved to be correct. The interim order also clarified that "the activities of Boudh Distillery Pvt Limited, as alleged in the application, shall be subject to the outcome of this application".

The plant's owners have proposed a grain-based distillery along with a co-generation power plant at Titrikata mouza, Ramvikata. It requires water from the Mahanadi for the purpose and was laying groundwork for a 4km pipeline through four villages on 3.34acres, including 1.47 acres of forest land.

The petition also alleged that the pipeline work was being undertaken without approval from Centre under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.