Assam: NGT Takes Action on Forest Land Diversion, Issues Notices

GUWAHATI: The National Green Tribunal has sent notifications to various authorities, including the Assam government, Assam Forest Department, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEFCC), the District Commissioner of Sibsagar, and the Divisional Forest Officer.

This action follows an application alleging that MK Yadava, the former principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force in Assam, illegally redirected 28 hectares of forest land for a police commando battalion camp at the Assam-Nagaland interstate border in the Geleky Forest Reserve.

The National Green Tribunal's eastern bench, in an order dated May 29 published on its website, has directed the formation of a committee.

This committee will include the Additional Director General of Forests from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) who deals with the Forest (Conservation) Act, an Additional Secretary from MoEFCC nominated by the Secretary of MoEFCC, and the Deputy Director General of Forests (C) from the MoEFCC's Integrated Regional Office in Meghalaya. Their task is to investigate the issue at hand.

The New Delhi branch of the NGT has taken up a case on its own initiative regarding the reported illegal use of 44 hectares of protected forest to establish the Assam Police's Commando Battalion.

This battalion is situated near the Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district. It's alleged that Yadava, who was the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests at the time, permitted the construction of a commando battalion unit in a protected forest in Hailakandi.

This was supposedly to prevent encroachment by people from Mizoram, which sparked outrage among local conservationists. As a result, the Union Ministry of Environment directed the state government in March of this year to immediately cease construction.

On March 28, the Union Ministry of Environment submitted a statement acknowledging that the construction of the battalion violated the Forest Conservation Amendment Act.

The Assam government informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it had halted the construction of a commando camp on 44 hectares in Hailakandi following the intervention of the Union environment ministry.

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