Raised a second commando battalion in Assam without FC nod | Latest news India

A former Assam Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), MK Yadava, who was in news for approving the construction of a commando battalion unit on the Assam-Mizoram border in 2023 by diverting around 44 hectares of forest, a decision that was criticized by the Union Environment Ministry has also approved at least one more project of this nature, according to documents seen by HT.

Yadava, who was also the forest force chief, approved the diversion of another 28 hectares on the Assam-Nagaland border in the Geleky reserve forest for a police battalion camp in 2022, the documents show.

HT reported on April 10 that the Union Environment Ministry had taken cognizance of illegal forest clearance in 2023 at Hailakandi (Assam-Mizoram border) and had directed the state government in March this year to immediately halt construction .

Environmentalists are now pointing to Geleky’s violation, which was also approved by Yadava. The documents show that on November 15, 2022, Yadava wrote a letter to the officer-in-charge, Eastern Assam Circle, stating that the construction of a police battalion may be approved “in the interest of conservation and protection of forest land” in Geleky.

The letter from the PCCF office, signed by Yadava, states that under section 2 (b) of the FC Act 1980, non-forest purposes include: “any purpose other than reforestation: but does not include work incidental to or incidental to to nature conservation, development and management. of forests and wildlife, namely the construction of checkpoints, fire lines, wireless communications and the construction of fences, bridges and culverts, dams, waterholes, trenches, boundary markers, pipelines or other similar purposes.”

“Since the proposal for 28 hectares of forest land for establishment of a commando battalion camp in the Assam-Nagaland inter-state border area of ​​Geleky RF is for the protection and conservation of reserved forest land, it qualifies as an activity relating to the conservation of forests mentioned under section (2) of the Forest Conservation Act 1980. Therefore, may you proceed with the establishment of the proposed second commando battalion unit in the interest of conservation and protection of forest land,” the letter said.

The language is similar to that which Yadava was said to have used while approving the 44 hectare diversion on September 28, 2023 in Hailakandi forest division.

HT reported on April 10 that the Hailakandi violation created a furore among local conservationists, forcing the Union Environment Ministry to take notice of it. In a letter seen by HT, the Union environment ministry on March 18 said: “The report of the regional office has been examined at the ministry and prima facie it has been observed that use of forest land for non-forestry activities is permitted ​​without prior approval of the Central Government, which is contrary to the statutory provisions and rules under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. Taking into account the foregoing, the State Government is urged to stop all construction activities in the above area . country in question, with immediate effect, until further notice or decision in the matter.”

The Union ministry has not taken any action against Geleky yet, say activists.

“The ministry has chosen to remain silent on the matter and no on-site inspection has been conducted yet,” said an environmentalist from Guwahati on condition of anonymity. He also presented satellite images of the forests cleared in Geleky for the battalion camp.

The Environment Ministry did not immediately respond to HT’s queries. However, a senior Environment Ministry official said, “We have already explained in our letter on the Hailakandi violation that the interpretation of the provisions of the Forest Conservation Amendment Act is incorrect and contrary to law. The same would apply to this offense as well.”

HT repeatedly tried to reach Yadava to seek his response on these illegal forest diversions but he did not answer calls or respond to messages.

Yadava has since been appointed Special Chief Secretary (Forest) by the Assam government after his retirement in February. Yadava is close to the current dispensation in Assam and that is why he has been given a position after his retirement, local environmentalists claim.

“The Special Chief Secretary (Forests) has been allowed to be a judge in his own case. He makes decisions based on reports containing data on violations committed by himself. The Assam government does not seem to care about conflict of interest,” said another activist from Jorhat.

While there was no response from the office of the Assam Chief Minister, State Solicitor General Debajit Saikia said, “The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had filed an affidavit in connection with the issue on Monday. On Tuesday we asked NGT for four weeks to submit our response. The tribunal has agreed and the next hearing has been set for August 2.”

NGT had taken up the Hailakandi diversion case suo moto in January this year. On March 28, the Union Environment Ministry filed an affidavit in the case, stating that the construction of the battalion violates the Forest Conservation Amendment Act.

The Assam government on Tuesday informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it has halted the construction of a commando camp on 44 acres in Hailakandi following the intervention of the Union Environment Ministry.