Cuttack, May 28: The National Green Tribunal has ordered a probe into the alleged encroachment of about 185 acres of forestland at Patia on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar for business purposes.

The probe, to be conducted by the divisional forest officer (Chandaka Wildlife Division), will ascertain the veracity of the allegations and submit a status report on the forest area where buildings and structures have allegedly been constructed for private gain.

The tribunal ordered the probe on a petition that alleged "highly influential political and business people have illegally encroached upon forestland of about 185 acres in Patia village in Bhubaneswar and used it for different business purposes".

Bhubaneswar-based environmental and social activist Subash Mohapatra filed the petition with details of illegal encroachment for non-forestry use at Patia village mouza within Bhubaneswar tehsil, spread over 59 plots bearing khatiyan 493 (revenue record number).

The petition came up before the Eastern Zone Bench of the tribunal in Calcutta last week. The tribunal ordered the probe after preliminary hearing.

"We direct the Divisional Forest Officer (Chandaka Wildlife Division), to examine the facts and circumstances set out in the petition and if need be, make a spot inspection and submit a report on the status of the area in question before the next date," the bench of S.P. Wangdi (judicial member) and P.C. Mishra (expert member) said in its May 23 order.

"The tribunal has fixed July 6 as the next date for hearing along with the status report," petitioner counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said today.

The petitioner has sought the tribunal's direction to take necessary action against the illegal use of forestland and to demolish the building and structures constructed on it at Patia.

Mohapatra said he filed the petition after representations to the district administration and forest authorities concerned about tree felling, construction and running of non-forestry work on the forestland failed to elicit no response.

"Many of them having unholy nexus with local public authorities had also engaged in felling the trees and constructed buildings and structures there for their private gain without any approval from concerned authorities," the petition said.

"The forestland in question is still in the illegal possession of private persons and the land use are being changed on day to day basis by way of construction work and other non-forest activities without approval of ministry of environment, forests and climate change," Mohapatra said in his petition.