GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reprimanded the Assam forest department for its failure to demarcate the boundary of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam’s Morigaoan district despite the 1998 notification and the court’s earlier orders.
The SC was hearing a petition filed by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury seeking the court’s intervention to precisely demarcate the boundary of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary without any further delay.
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The court has asked the Assam forest department to file an affidavit in one week or face serious consequences.
The government Counsel argued that the Assam forest department is trying to free the area from encroachment and that other corridors may have to be explored, which the rhinos are now preferring.
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Amicus Curiae, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner Rohit Choudhury, argued that there is no question of the Assam Forest Department changing the boundary of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary now and that they will have to demarcate the sanctuary as per the 1998 notification anyway.
The SC bench also agreed with the Amicus Curiae and gave one week time to file their response to the state government.
The affidavit on behalf of the Assam forest department was filed by the principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) and head of forest force (HoFF) MK Yadava.
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On May 23, 2023, the SC bench asked the Centre and the Assam government to respond to a plea seeking directions to declare the area around Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary an eco-sensitive zone and remove all encroachments.
The court also issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the state forest department about the wildlife sanctuary in Assam.
The petition contended that the boundary of the sanctuary notified in 1998 under the Wildlife Protection Act is yet to be precisely marked and the control of a part of the sanctuary area, the Khas land (government-controlled land), is yet to be handed over to the forest department by the district administration.
The petitioner sought the intervention of the top court for demarcation of the boundary of the wildlife sanctuary alleging that the boundary of the Pobitora sanctuary is yet to be physically demarcated precisely despite the passage of 25 years.