GUWAHATI: The state government and the forest department have drawn criticism from the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for failing to completely free nine animal corridors in the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) from alleged encroachments.
A meeting was held recently between the CEC and Assam The Chief Secretary and other officers of the State Government regarding the alleged construction in the identified animal corridors of Kaziranga National Park. tiger reserve ,KNPTR) in violation of the apex court’s order dated April 12, 2019. It was decided to request the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun to provide the details of the changes along the nine identified corridors, using satellite, following the SC order. Images of relevant periods.
The Chief Secretary agreed to submit a list of activities in respect of each corridor in violation of the apex court’s order. The Assam CS has also agreed to submit the names and designations of the officials who gave permission for the construction activities, along with copies of the licenses and permissions granted by them. The CS has agreed to provide the names of officers responsible for implementing the provisions of the eco-sensitive zone as NH-37 comes within a distance of 10 kms from the boundaries of KNP.
A report on the current status of removal of illegal constructions and vehicle-parking on nine animal corridors along NH-37 sent to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam by the field director of KNP on February 15, showing the status in respect of nine animal corridors Mostly being ‘not removed/released’.
The Supreme Court in 2019 ordered that all types of mining activities in the entire catchment area of rivers and streams originating from the Karbi Anglong Hill range as well as along the KNP area and flowing into the park, including the Tiger Reserve, be prohibited. “No new construction shall be permitted on private land which is part of nine identified cattle corridors,” read the SC order.
Even after the order, the CEC was receiving complaints from environmental and wildlife activists Rohit Chaudhary That the new constructions with nine corridors were done in violation of the Supreme Court order. The CEC had forwarded these complaints to the State Forest Department, but the concerned officials of the Forest Department informed the CEC in 2020 that the said complaints regarding the alleged new construction were false and fabricated. But the CEC continued to receive complaints and forward them Integrated Regional Office (IRO) Ministry of Environment, Forest and CC, Shillong, for investigation and report.
After investigation, the IRO said that the state government should notify all the nine identified animal corridors. Although the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (DFO) report gave the length of the corridors as 44.205 km, the Committee for Delimitation of Corridors constituted by the Assam government on May 4, 2019 had approved only 37.48 km. “However, the length of the corridors should be 44.205 km to ensure safe passage of animals. All illegal constructions, whether they are large, small, temporary or permanent, will have to be demolished,” the IRO said.
A meeting was held recently between the CEC and Assam The Chief Secretary and other officers of the State Government regarding the alleged construction in the identified animal corridors of Kaziranga National Park. tiger reserve ,KNPTR) in violation of the apex court’s order dated April 12, 2019. It was decided to request the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun to provide the details of the changes along the nine identified corridors, using satellite, following the SC order. Images of relevant periods.
The Chief Secretary agreed to submit a list of activities in respect of each corridor in violation of the apex court’s order. The Assam CS has also agreed to submit the names and designations of the officials who gave permission for the construction activities, along with copies of the licenses and permissions granted by them. The CS has agreed to provide the names of officers responsible for implementing the provisions of the eco-sensitive zone as NH-37 comes within a distance of 10 kms from the boundaries of KNP.
A report on the current status of removal of illegal constructions and vehicle-parking on nine animal corridors along NH-37 sent to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam by the field director of KNP on February 15, showing the status in respect of nine animal corridors Mostly being ‘not removed/released’.
The Supreme Court in 2019 ordered that all types of mining activities in the entire catchment area of rivers and streams originating from the Karbi Anglong Hill range as well as along the KNP area and flowing into the park, including the Tiger Reserve, be prohibited. “No new construction shall be permitted on private land which is part of nine identified cattle corridors,” read the SC order.
Even after the order, the CEC was receiving complaints from environmental and wildlife activists Rohit Chaudhary That the new constructions with nine corridors were done in violation of the Supreme Court order. The CEC had forwarded these complaints to the State Forest Department, but the concerned officials of the Forest Department informed the CEC in 2020 that the said complaints regarding the alleged new construction were false and fabricated. But the CEC continued to receive complaints and forward them Integrated Regional Office (IRO) Ministry of Environment, Forest and CC, Shillong, for investigation and report.
After investigation, the IRO said that the state government should notify all the nine identified animal corridors. Although the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (DFO) report gave the length of the corridors as 44.205 km, the Committee for Delimitation of Corridors constituted by the Assam government on May 4, 2019 had approved only 37.48 km. “However, the length of the corridors should be 44.205 km to ensure safe passage of animals. All illegal constructions, whether they are large, small, temporary or permanent, will have to be demolished,” the IRO said.