Bhubaneswar, November 19: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) will conduct hearing on cutting down of trees in Jhinkargadi forest of Balarampur village in Dhenkanal district on November 27.

The green body has asked the state government to present stand on the case during the hearing after accepting a petition filed by one Bijay Kumar Majhi.

On November 17, Dhenkanal administration felled hundreds of sal trees in Jhinkagadi forest amid strong protest from locals to enable a private company to set up the bottling plant.

Subsequently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the district administration to immediately stop the tree felling. The CM also asked the concerned revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) to probe the case.

On the basis of the probe report of the RDC, the CM today ordered cancellation of setting up of the proposed beer factory.

While the residents of Balarampur welcomed the decision of the CM, one Bijay Kumar Majhi filed a case with the NGT in this regard.