Guwahati: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted final approval to regularize two Assam Police commando battalion camps built illegally on forest land in Hailakandi and Sivasagar districts.
The approvals, issued to the Assam Police Housing Corporation Limited on February 20, cover 11.5 hectares of land at Inner Line Reserve Forest at Damchera in Hailakandi district along Assam-Mizoram border and 26 hectares of land at Geleki reserve forest in Sivasagar district along Assam-Nagaland border.
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The approval came two months after the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union environment ministry granted post-facto approval for the two Commando Battalion camps, while imposing significant penalties for violations of forest conservation laws.
As per the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, prior approval from the Environment ministry is necessary for non-forestry use of forest land, along with payment of net present value and compensatory afforestation charges.
Northeast Now previously reported that M.K. Yadava, then Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, had approved these projects without proper clearances from the Union Environment Ministry.
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These unauthorized constructions sparked widespread concern and prompted the environment ministry to seek explanations from the Assam government through letters dated April 25 and June 13, 2024, specifically inquiring about Yadava’s role in approving the Geleky forest diversion.
The MoEFCC’s investigation, conducted by its Shillong regional office, confirmed the illegal construction and led to notices being issued to Assam’s Special Chief Secretary (Forest), M.K. Yadava.
The final approval is contingent on the outcomes of ongoing National Green Tribunal (NGT) cases. The NGT’s principal bench is addressing the Hailakandi camp, while its eastern zone bench is hearing a case regarding the Sivasagar camp (Geleky forest), filed by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury.
The approval also includes conditions: the regional office will continue legal proceedings under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, and no further expansion or diversion of forest land will be permitted at these sites.
The NGT took suo motu cognizance of the case in January 2024 based on a news report titled, “Assam: PCCF MK Yadava accused of illegally clearing protected forest for Commando Battalion,” published in Northeast Now on December 25, 2023.