Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in Supreme Court, high courts & National Green Tribunal
NGT warns Assam against construction in forest land in Barak valley
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) March 14, 2024 warned the Government of Assam that if any illegal construction is raised by the state authorities on the forest land in Barak Valley during the pendency of the case, they will be doing so at their own risk and cost.
Counsel for the applicant has referred to the photographs that show large-scale concrete permanent structures are being built in the area.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change submitted that requisite information has been received from the state and the ministry will be filing the affidavit before the tribunal within two weeks, making its stand clear.
In the application registered suo-moto, issue is about legality of diversion of 44 hectares of protected forest land for a Commando Battalion headquarters in Barak Valley and the allegation is that it is being constructed by passing the mandatory procedures under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for the purpose of construction of the 2nd Assam Command Battalion Unit headquarter inside the Inner Line of Reserved Forest in Hailakandi district, Assam.
Plea of the state of Assam is that construction is non-forest activity.
Management of garbage dumping yard in Rae Bareli Road, Lucknow
The principal bench of NGT March 14 directed the Municipal Corporation, Lucknow to fully implement the recommendations of the joint committee with respect to management of a garbage dumping yard in South City colony, Rae Bareli road, Lucknow.
The Municipal Corporation, Lucknow has submitted that all the five recommendations of the Joint Committee will be fully implemented by May 20, 2024. Thus, NGT directed the filing of a fresh report before the next date of hearing on May 29, 2024.
The matter related to improper management of a garbage dumping yard spread over 2,300 square metres area close to Power House, A-Block, South City colony, Rae Bareli road, Lucknow.
A joint committee constituted by the tribunal had submitted a report. It made some suggestions which included, among other things, installation of a proper leachate collection system and provision of adequate green belt around the dumping yard.
The Municipal Corporation, Lucknow was required to comply with the said recommendations. However, the affidavit of March 4, 2024 filed by the municipal corporation does not contain the full information, noted the court.
Pond restoration in Smriti Van, Delhi
A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Sudhir Agarwal directed district magistrate, South Delhi and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take requisite action for restoration of a pond in Smriti Van, which is a Delhi Development Authority park at Kishangarh Village, Delhi.
The authorities were asked to remove the encroachments, identify the violators and take action against them for violating environmental norms.
District magistrate, South Delhi and DPCC was asked by NGT March 13 to take necessary action in this regard within three months and file a report on the matter.
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