GUWAHATI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked Assam’s Chief Secretary to provide details of officers who let polling stations, schools, and other construction activities in a wildlife sanctuary and a reserve forest in gross violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
In an affidavit filed in April, the State government said several schools, a tea garden, a 5-km road, and wells were found to have been built in the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjoining Charduar Reserve forest apart from polling stations under the Dhekiajuli, Rangapara, and Sootea Assembly constituencies.
The sanctuary – its official area is 220 sq. km – and the reserve forest are in northern-central Assam’s Sonitpur district. The Assembly segments are under the Sonitpur Lok Sabha constituency where elections were held in the first phase on April 19.
