Guwahati: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) for failing to appear before it in a case concerning alleged encroachment and environmental degradation in Assam’s Daldali Reserved Forest.
The NGT’s Eastern Zone Bench, in an order dated October 9, 2026, also directed the Principal Secretary of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to remain present at the next hearing, either physically or through video conferencing, along with the relevant records.
The Tribunal granted the Council one final opportunity to submit its response within one month and directed it to deposit the costs with the Registrar of the Tribunal in Kolkata within the same period.
The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Judicial Member, and Expert Members Dr A. Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh in Original Application No. 88/2025/EZ, filed by Uttam Bathari against the State of Assam and others. Advocate Vikram Rajkhowa appeared on behalf of the applicant before the Tribunal.
The Tribunal noted that the Council had been duly served notice through the Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong but failed to appear despite service.
Observing that proceedings before the Tribunal could not be treated as ordinary adversarial civil litigation in which a respondent could simply remain absent and face ex-parte proceedings, the bench said the Council had constitutional and statutory obligations to ensure compliance with environmental norms.
The NGT further observed that the Council was required to submit its response with relevant details and ensure representation through an authorised representative or counsel.
The bench said the Council’s non-appearance had resulted in unnecessary adjournment and delayed the appropriate resolution of the environmental issues involved in the case. It held that the delay warranted the imposition of costs.
The Tribunal has listed the matter for further hearing on December 11, 2026.
The case concerns alleged large-scale encroachment, deforestation and destruction of natural habitats in the Daldali Reserved Forest in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.
In an earlier order dated May 30, 2025, the NGT constituted a joint committee to investigate the allegations and examine the environmental damage reported in the protected forest.
The committee included representatives of the Assam Forest Department, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Department of Land Records and Survey of the Nagaland government, and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
The MoEFCC was designated as the nodal authority to coordinate the committee’s work and ensure compliance by its members.
The application filed by Uttam Bathari alleged that encroachment in the forest was causing significant environmental degradation, including deforestation and habitat destruction.
The forest was declared a reserve forest through a notification dated August 16, 1933, which took effect on October 1, 1933, under Section 17 of the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891.
In its earlier order, the Tribunal had observed that the allegations raised a substantial question relating to the environment in connection with the implementation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, read with the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The latest order addresses the Council’s failure to appear and submit its response in the ongoing proceedings. The Tribunal is scheduled to take up the matter again on December 11, 2026.