GUWAHATI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed a review petition filed by Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) and upheld it earlier order passed in August 24, 2016 whereby it had barred the NRL from constructing an extended township and making space for a golf course by destroying forest in Deopahar area at Numaligarh in Golaghat district of Assam. The NRL was also directed to demolish a boundary wall it had constructed by disturbing an elephant corridor by the NGT in 2016 order.
The case in the NGT was filed by environment activist Rohit Chaudhary of Bokakhat in Assam.
The NGT in the earlier order had said , “ As regards the wall with barbed wire fencing which comes in the way of Elephant Corridor, the same should be demolished. The area, where the wall has come up and the proposed township is to come up is a part of Deopahar ‘Protected Reserve Forest’. It also falls within the No-Development Zone (NDZ) notification, issued by the ‘MoEF’ in 1996. Thereby, any non-forest activity thereon would be in violation of the decision of the Apex Court in the T. N. Godavarman case (1996). Thus, the wall should be demolished within a period of one month and the proposed township should not come up in the present location.
Further, for causing environmental damage by destruction of forest cover and flattening of the hill to build the golf course, the ‘NRL’ will pay environmental compensation of Rs. 25,00,000 to the Assam Forest department, which is to be kept in a separate bank account for the restoration of the area and improving the environment adjoining the ‘NRL’ complex and to reduce man animal conflict.
The ‘NRL’ will also make compensatory afforestation of ten times the number of trees felled. The 22 plant varieties, suitable to the area in consultation with biologists, may be planted. In keeping with the letter and spirit of the notification for ‘NDZ’, the Government of Assam and the ‘MoEF’ will ensure that no development activities whatsoever take place within a radius of 15 kms of the ‘NRL’, which could lead to pollution and congestion, in compliance with the said notification dated 5th July, 1996. In furtherance thereof, we direct that the judgment of this Tribunal in O.A. No. 38/2011 be strictly implemented, thereby the polluting activities of the stone crushers, brick kilns & others be immediately closed.
We direct the Government of Assam to vigorously implement the directions of the tribunal by having frequent meetings of the Task Force Committee and effective implementation of their decisions. The Government of Assam is directed to urgently take steps as per law to finally notify Deopahar ‘PRF’ into Reserved Forest under Section 17 of the Assam Forest Regulations 1891, to prevent further loss to the ecology of Deopahar, which is in close proximity to Kaziranga National Park (15-20 Km) and is also used as an elephant corridor.
