Guwahati: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has closed a suo motu case concerning the construction of an Assam police commando battalion camp on reserve forest land in Hailakandi district.
The NGT stated that further deliberation was unnecessary given the Central government’s post-facto forest approval for the camp, which remains unchallenged.
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The tribunal also acknowledged the Assam government’s commitment to dismantle any constructions exceeding 20,000 square meters, a threshold above which prior environmental clearance is mandated.
“In the above circumstances, we are of the view that no interference in this OA (original application) is required,” the NGT stated in its order issued on May 30.
“At this stage, without there being any challenge to the said order, further deliberation on this issue is not required. The clearance under Section 2 of the FC (Forest Conservation) Act, 1980, now exists in favour of the Assam Police Housing Corporation Limited,” the order noted.
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Previously, the Assam government had informed its State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) that the camp did not require environmental clearance, claiming its area was under 20,000 sq m.
The SEIAA had initially classified the project as an “educational institute,” relying on an environment ministry notification that exempted certain constructions up to 1,50,000 sqm from prior green clearance. However, the Supreme Court stayed this notification in February of this year.
Considering the Supreme Court’s ruling, the NGT directed the SEIAA, Assam, to re-examine its view that the project was exempt as an “educational institute,” as stated in its April 22, 2025, meeting minutes.
The NGT’s principal bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Sudhir Agarwal, and A. Senthil Vel, initiated the suo motu case after a news report highlighted the diversion of 44 hectares of forest land for the battalion camp. The tribunal had reserved its order in April.
A key aspect considered by the Tribunal was the necessity of Central government approval under Section 2 of the FC Act, 1980, for the diversion of forest land and camp construction.
The NGT’s order confirmed that the construction constituted “non-forest” activity on undisputed forest land.
The Assam government had sought the Centre’s approval under the FC Act for the non-forestry use of 11.5 hectares of forest land for the camp, and post-facto approval was granted in February.
However, prior to Assam’s application, the Environment Ministry had informed the NGT that the camp’s construction violated the Van Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan Adhiniyam, 2023 (formerly the Forest Conservation Act, 1980), as it had commenced without prior approval.
The case originated from a news report published in Northeast Now on December 25, 2023, alleging illegal forest clearing by then PCCF (now special chief secretary) MK Yadava, in contravention of Sections 3A and 3B of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, for the commando battalion.