According to the data disclosed by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Assam government has not forwarded any application for non–forty activity in Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary (SRWS).
The revelation came in a counter affidavit filed by the ministry to NGT’s case regarding the construction of roads, bridges, schools, and encroachments in the area of wildlife sanctuary. The ministry said that the government of Assam has not made the required request to the central government for the use of forest land to undertake any non-forest activity as prescribed.
Further fuelling the debate, the government of Assam, in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, said that 68 schools having an enrollment of approximately 3000 students were functioning in the SRWS and the Charduar reserve forest without necessary forest and educational clearances. The state government also pointed out that the closure of these particular education facilities could hurt the children.
The rainforest wildlife, particularly the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, covering an area of 220 sq km of rich biochemical fruitfulness, is now the subject of a lawsuit. The NGT has observed that although the Assam government has disclosed many specifics of such illegitimate happenings.
The affidavits’ abbreviations of features are liable for not mentioning steps for evicting encroachment and regenerating the forest. Thus, the case proceeds, pinning the Assam government down for its inaction that allegedly jeopardizes the ecologically sensitive sanctuary.
