Commando camp in forest: Halted work after ministry’s red flag, Assam tells NGT
An inspection report of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had found that the camp’s construction violated the Forest (Conservation) Act, and directed the state to halt work on the site.
The bench had taken up the case on the basis of news reports which alleged that officials had illegally diverted forest land. The Assam government Tuesday submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it had stopped the construction of a commando camp on 44 hectares of a protected forest after a red flag from the Union Environment Ministry last month.
An inspection report of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had found that the camp’s construction violated the Forest (Conservation) Act, and directed the state to halt work on the site.
The NGT’s principal bench comprising chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Senthil Vel was hearing a suo motu case on the construction of the 2nd Assam Commando Battalion Unit Headquarters inside the inner line of a reserved forest in Hailakandi.
The bench had taken up the case on the basis of news reports which alleged that officials had illegally diverted forest land.
Assam Advocate-General Devajit Saikia informed the bench that construction was stopped and that the state government had sought permission from the Environment Ministry. He also sought time from the bench to respond to an affidavit submitted by the Ministry which said non-forestry activity was carried out on forest land without permission.
Granting the Assam government four weeks, the bench also took on record the Environment Ministry’s findings on the construction. “It clearly reflects construction was done in utter violation of norms,” the bench noted.
In the affidavit, the ministry stated that its regional office in Shillong had carried out a site inspection report on the alleged violations of statutory provisions of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. It had concluded that the law was violated and on March 18, it had directed the state government to discontinue the construction. It also requested its regional office to initiate action against violations.
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