Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court, under the bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, has restrained authorities from finalising a tender for tree felling inside the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary in connection with the Guwahati Ring Road project.
The order, passed on April 8, came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by social activist Arkashis Chaliha and senior journalist Mahesh Deka, who have raised concerns over the environmental impact of the project.
The PIL does not oppose the Rs 6,000-crore, 121-km ring road project being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), but questions the alignment of a proposed bypass that allegedly cuts through the wildlife sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone.
Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate K. N. Chowdhury argued that while the need for improved traffic management is undisputed, the project threatens a fragile ecosystem that is home to elephants, hoolock gibbons, leopards, pangolins, and serves as a vital elephant corridor.
The court noted that although the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife has granted conditional approval—subject to safeguards such as a detailed impact study and restrictions like no night-time construction—the petitioners allege these conditions are not being strictly followed.
A major contention raised was the alleged absence of mandatory forest clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The petitioners pointed out that despite this, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Guwahati Wildlife Division, had issued an e-tender for appointing a contractor to fell trees inside the sanctuary, terming the move as hasty and potentially causing irreversible damage.
Responding to the claims, Additional Advocate General P.N. Goswami submitted that all required clearances, including under the 1980 Act, have been obtained. However, pending submission of a detailed affidavit, he assured the court that the tender process would not be finalised until the next hearing.
Recording the submission, the High Court directed the state to file its response affidavit before the next date and serve a copy to the petitioners’ counsel in advance.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 23, 2026.