NGT seeks action against former Assam principal conservator for forest diversion

NGT questions Ministry's action against ex-PCCF for diverting forest land for police camp, amid border disputes.

GUWAHATI

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to indicate what action had been taken against a former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) in Assam for diverting a sizeable part of a forest for a police battalion camp.

M.K. Yadava, who was reappointed as the Special Secretary (Forests) by the Assam government after his retirement in February, had allegedly diverted 28 hectares of the Geleky Reserve Forest along the State’s border with Nagaland in 2022. The land, it was argued, was needed for a fortified camp to house about 800 police personnel to guard against encroachment of land by armed groups and the police in Nagaland.

More than 130 people have died in clashes arising out of the Assam-Nagaland border dispute since 1979. Blood has also been spilt along Assam’s contested boundaries with Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Citing the guidelines, the NGT’s Judicial Member B. Amit Sthalekar and Executive Member Arun Kumar Verma said in their August 9 order that “it is not for the PCCF Assam to take a decision as to whether the strong constructions for 800 personnel with arms, ammunitions, and sophisticated weapons would impact forest conservation or not”.

The decision in such a case has to be taken by the Centre under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980. There is nothing on record to show that there was any permission or sanction granted by the Centre for the diversion of the forest land in question for the said constructions, the order said, while hearing the original application by Assam-based environmental activist Rohit Choudhury.

The NGT asked the Environment Ministry to file within four weeks an affidavit indicating what action had been taken against Mr. Yadava “who permitted diversion of forest land in violation of Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, for making solid constructions to house 800 personnel with arms, ammunitions and sophisticated weapons with parade area, exercise areas, shooting area, adequate housing, etc.”.