Environment ministry seeks report from Assam govt on forest land diversion in Geleky

Guwahati: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has sought a report from the Assam government regarding the alleged diversion of forest land in Sivasagar district along the Assam-Nagaland border.

In a letter dated April 25, 2024, addressed to Assam's Additional Chief Secretary (Forests), Suneet Bhardwaj, Assistant Inspector General of Forests at MoEF&CC, has requested a detailed factual report on the alleged illegal clearing of 28 hectares of land within Geleky Reserve Forest in Sivasagar district for setting up a commando battalion camp.

The Ministry has also directed both the MoEF&CC's regional office in Shillong and the sub-office in Guwahati to coordinate with the Assam government and provide the requisite information with comments at the earliest.

The diversion of 28 hectares of land in Geleky reserve forest was approved by then Assam's principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), MK Yadava, who was also the head of forest force (HoFF), in 2022 for a commando battalion camp.

According to the official notification vide No FG 46/Border/Nagaland/Pt-11 dated November 15, 2022; the piece of land was diverted for setting up a commando battalion camp along the Assam-Nagaland border of Geleky Reserve Forest for the “protection and conservation of reserved forest land and conservation of forest resources”.

The MoEF&CC has recently directed action against MK Yadava, for allegedly allowing the construction of a commando battalion unit within Inner Line Reserve Forest on the Assam-Mizoram border through the diversion of around 44 ha of forest land in 2023.