Forest clearance not sought to divert part of Assam wildlife sanctuary, NGT told
- August 9, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Forest clearance not sought to divert part of Assam wildlife sanctuary, NGT told
Sub: Env
Sec: Protected Area
Context:
- The Assam government did not obtain the required forest clearance for non-forestry activities in the Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary.
Details:
- The Ministry informed the NGT that it did not receive any proposal for forest clearance for activities in Sonai-Rupai, though such activities require approval under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.
- Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) acknowledged that Sonai-Rupai and Charduar, along with three other protected areas—Balipara Reserve Forest, Senglimari Reserve Forest, and Naduar Reserve Forest—are under significant encroachment.
Sonai- Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Located in the state of Assam in India.
- It is located along the foothills of the Great Himalayan Range. The area was declared a sanctuary in 1998.
- Four rivers flow through the sanctuary: Gabharu, Gelgeli, Sonai and Rupai.
- Wildlife:
- Mammals: tiger, lesser cats, elephant, gaur, wild boar, pygmy hog, swamp deer and barking deer.
- Birds: white-winged wood duck, hornbill, pelican, and various migratory birds.
- Reptiles: python, Russell’s viper.
Source: TH