Evict encroachers from forest: Gauhati High Court

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has asked the State Government (Environment & Forest Department) to constitute a task force, conduct a survey of encroachment in Goalpara Forest Division within three months, and evict the encroachers following the law.

The High Court said this in its judgment and order on a PIL (Suo Moto) 1/2022 based on a letter by wildlife lover Pranab Jyoti Sarma to the Chief Justice of the High Court.

In its order, the division bench comprising Chief Justice RM Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia directed the State Government to constitute a special task force headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF). The order said the task force would include the DFO (Divisional Forest Officer), Superintendent of Police and the Goalpara Deputy Commissioner as members. The task force, the order said, would monitor the steps taken by the Forest department to curb man-elephants conflicts and deaths.

The bench further ordered the Goalpara DC and the DFO to survey the encroachment of the forest area within three months and evict the encroachers immediately, following the law.

The High Court also said that the forest authority should crate facilities for veterinary treatment for injured elephants.

The Forest Department said in its affidavit that 25.67 per cent area of Goalpara Forest Division is under encroachment. The affidavit said that 223 persons had died since 2002 in Goalpara Forest Division, where 33 elephants had lost their lives since 2010.

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