Daldali Reserve Forest: NGT Sets Up Joint Panel to Probe Encroachment

The NGT (National Green Tribunal) Eastern Zone Bench (Kolkata) has formed a joint committee for fact-finding about the alleged illegal encroachment inside the Daldali Reserve Forest at Karbi Anglong district. A petition was filed in the NGT eastern bench to save the RF and its fragile ecosystem by Gauhati University professor Uttam Bathari.

Speaking to Pratidin Time, he said that the petition was filed aiming primarily to preserve the forest, which houses many critical fauna and flora. “Moreover, saving the forest is also to save the communities as they depend upon the ecology”,—Bathari added.  

Bathari also apprised that there have been alleged encroachments inside the RF for quite some time, where political patronage cannot be ruled out.  “When it comes to encroachments, the possibility of clashes amongst people over the land cannot be denied. Hence, the encroachment is a double whammy. Protecting the RF will save the ecology and also keep the clashes away,” Bathari said. 

The Daldali RF is situated in an expanse of 123 square kilometres bordering Nagaland. This RF is also a part of the ‘Dhansiri Lunding Elephant Reserve’ with a similar landscape to Kaziranga National Park and Nambor Forest.

Senior advocate Vikram Rajkhowa, who appeared for the applicant, apprised Pratidin Time about the importance of the Daldali RF–“There are nearly 170 elephants in the forest. Moreover, the RF caters for the Daldali-Dimapur elephant corridor, which is about 5 kilometres long, suggesting the importance of preserving it to maintain ecological balance and to avoid man-animal conflicts.”

In its recent order dated 30th May, the NGT formed the joint committee comprising Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Assam; a representative of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi; a representative of Department of Land Record and Survey, Government of Nagaland; and a representative of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council represented through Principal Secretary, Assam.

“In our view, the complaint made by applicant prima-facie gives rise to substantial question relating to environment arising due of implementation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 read with Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 but before proceeding further in the matter, we find it appropriate to obtain a factual Report and for this purpose, we constitute a Joint Committee”—the NGT orders reads.

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