The Gauhati High Court has taken a stringent stance on the ongoing encroachment issue within the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary located in Assam's Sonitpur district.
The court raised concerns over the lack of action taken by the relevant department to address the encroachment in the sanctuary. It also questioned why no steps had been taken to remove the illegal intrusions and sought details on the measures taken for the eviction of villages within the sanctuary.
In its order, the court demanded a detailed response from the authorities regarding the steps being taken for the eviction of these villages. Furthermore, the government has been directed to submit all relevant information regarding the matter to the court in the form of an affidavit within a month.
Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had also taken a strict position regarding the encroachments in the sanctuary. Previously, the NGT put on record that the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Assam has also admitted that the encroachers have cleared low-land evergreen and semi-evergreen forest areas, built permanent houses, and cultivated commercial crops like betel nut trees, coconut, rubber, and tea alongside agricultural crops.