Cuttack: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has fined a top wildlife official Rs 25,000 for failing to respond to its notice in a case over delay in finalising the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Similipal Tiger Reserve, observing that govt authorities cannot remain absent from proceedings concerning protection of the environment.The east zone bench of Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh directed the additional director-general of forest (wildlife)-cum-member secretary of the National Board for Wildlife, Ramesh Pandey, to deposit the amount with the tribunal’s registrar in Kolkata within a month.Noting that the official had neither filed a reply nor appeared before it despite service of notice, the tribunal said the absence had caused unnecessary adjournment and delayed resolution of environmental issues. It held that imposing exemplary costs was necessary to address the delay.The bench also directed the official to file his response within a month and remain present, physically or through video conferencing, at the next hearing with relevant records. The tribunal was hearing the petition filed by Santanu Kumar Bhukta, representing a Talcher-based NGO, alleging inaction by authorities in notifying the ESZ and regulating activities in the surrounding areas. The order was issued on Oct 8 and uploaded on the tribunal’s website on Oct 17, petitioner’s counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said on Thursday.According to the petition, a draft notification proposing an ESZ for the Similipal-Hadgarh landscape was issued on Jan 29, 2019, but the final notification has not been issued despite more than six years having elapsed. The petition flagged alleged large-scale unregulated construction, tree felling, borewell drilling and dumping of plastic waste within the proposed zone.In the Oct 8 order, the bench observed: “In the facts and circumstances of the case, we consider personal appearance of the additional director-general of forest (wildlife)-cum-member secretary, National Board for Wildlife to be essential for assisting this Tribunal in just and proper adjudication of the questions involved in the case.” The matter will be heard on Dec 9.The tribunal had issued notices to Odisha govt and central environmental authorities on April 30, 2026. While the other respondents filed counter-affidavits, the response of the additional director-general of forest (wildlife)-cum-member secretary, National Board for Wildlife, remained pending, prompting the latest order.In the order, the bench pointed out that the Centre, state govts and their officers are constitutionally and statutorily bound to protect and improve the environment and ensure compliance with environmental laws. They must submit replies containing relevant details and ensure representation through duly authorised officers or counsel, it said.