Cuttack: The National Green Tribunal has sought a reply from the state government on the alleged diversion of forest land for industry in Dhenkanal district without the Centre's approval.

The government had approved a Rs 102 crore private brewery project at Balarampur. Accordingly, it transferred land adjacent to Tansa hill to Industrial Development Corporation of Odisha (Idco) to facilitate the handover. The matter reached the green panel after local villager Bijay Kumar Majhi sought its intervention restraining the use of "forest land".

The panel took up hearing on Thursday. "The bench of Justice S.P. Wangdi (judicial member) posted the matter to February 13 for hearing along with the government response," petitioner counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said on Saturday.

"Accordingly, the panel issued notices to revenue and disaster management department secretary, Dhenkanal collector, Dhenkanal divisional forest officer and Idco managing director to file affidavits by then, he said.

"This patch is home to various wild animals. Further, the local villagers are dependent on this patch for minor forest produces and fragmenting the patch for any non-forest purpose or industrial activity will lead to an ecological disaster," the petition said.

It urged the green panel to restrain the government from using the land until central approval under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.