Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Assam Cabinet’s decision for “withdrawal” of notification of Pobitora as Wildlife Sanctuary located in Morigaon district.
A top court bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta directed the Assam government to immediately file an affidavit on the demarcation of the territory of the wildlife sanctuary and declaring its eco-sensitive zone.
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The top court asked the Assam government to settle the claims and rights of the people under Section 26 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and not to resort to de-notification in the name of “withdrawal”.
The order came in response to an interlocutory petition (No 85124) filed within Writ Petition 202 of 1995 by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury. Choudhury’s petition urged the court to intervene and finalize the demarcation of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary’s boundaries.
The Supreme Court has directed the Assam government to file an affidavit outlining the demarcation of the sanctuary’s boundary based on the 1998 notification. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for July 24.
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Choudhury filed the writ petition in the apex court seeking the court’s intervention to precisely demarcate the boundary of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary without any further delay.
Earlier this week, Northeaster Now reported the Assam Cabinet’s decision on Sunday, March 10, to withdraw the protected status of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, a move that sparked criticism from environmentalists and wildlife experts.
Pobitora is a crucial habitat for the endangered Indian rhinoceros, with an estimated population of 107 rhinos residing within the sanctuary.