Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The National Green Tribunal's Principal Bench at New Delhi has directed the Joint Committee, formed for the purpose, to submit a factual report of industries situated in the proposed eco-sensitive zone of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary within one month, failing which, all the members of the Joint Committee have to appear before the Tribunal.
The direction was issued in a suo moto case (Original Application No. 808/2024) filed by the NGT bench on the basis of a letter petition received from several persons complaining about the existence of a brick kiln and alleged proposal for setting up a cement plant within the proposed eco-sensitive zone of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
The complainants stated that Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is comprised of 2 blocks and has a rich biodiversity with more than 103 one-horned rhinos, 300 Indian buffaloes, leopards, deer, pangolins, wild boars, etc., besides migratory birds.
It was alleged in the letter that an industrialist is creating an industrial zone in the 2 blocks of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and that attempts have also been made to establish cement factories and stone quarries in the said area.
A report of the Forest Range Officer, Pobitora Wildlife Range, sent to the Regional Forest Officer stated that the Range Officer had found a brick kiln in the Sativeti area, which is surrounded by paddy fields of villagers and is about 500 meters away from the boundary of Rajamayog Hill point of the Wildlife Sanctuary and falls within the proposed eco-sensitive zone of the protected area of the Sanctuary.
A letter sent by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) to the Assam State Pollution Control Board has also been placed on record, whereby the DFO forwarded an inventory report of industries situated in the proposed eco-sensitive zone of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and asked the Board to take action.
The proposed eco-sensitive zone of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary includes an extent area of one kilometre radius from the periphery of the wildlife sanctuary. Industries listed by Range Officer, Pobitora Wildlife Range, are situated within the said proposed eco-sensitive zone of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, it was stated.
The NGT bench observed that it does not appear from the records that any effective action has been taken in the matter and said industries are still operating in the area under question, as stated in the complaint.
After considering the complaint, the Tribunal decided to obtain a factual report for which it constituted a Joint Committee comprising representatives of the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, New Delhi; Member Secretary, Assam State Pollution Control Board; representative of the Central Pollution Control Board; and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife, Assam.
However, the bench stated that no report has been submitted till date.
Under the circumstances, the bench directed the Joint Committee to submit the report within one month. The matter was listed next on November 5, 2024.
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