Ensure no construction around Kaziranga national park, NGT tells Assam govt

The Tribunal, while asking the state government to strictly comply with its earlier directives against permitting any kind of construction, also said that even patta holders of agricultural land cannot raise any construction on such land primarily meant for agricultural purpose.

[related-post]

It was last month that the National Green Tribunal had issued bailable warrants against 28 dhabas, resorts, petrol pumps and other establishments for allegedly blocking several natural animal corridors in the Park fringes.

The warrants were issued after the owners of these establishments had failed to appear before the Tribunal in connection with a hearing on the alleged encroachment on the animal corridors and government land around the Park which is also an important tiger reserve.

Over 70 dhabas, restaurants, resorts, petrol pumps and other establishments were earlier served notice of appearance in connection with a case filed by Rohit Choudhary, with the Tribunal wanting to know from them what right they had over the land and whether those plots fall under the proposed eco-sensitive zone of Kaziranga National Park.

While about 40 individuals and firms owning these establishments had appeared before the Tribunal, the remaining ones which failed to turn up are now facing bailable warrants under provisions of Section 19(4)(a) of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, read with Order XVI Rule 10(3) and Section 151 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

It was only in April that a CAG report had said that setting up of resorts, hotels, dhabas, line hotels, garages, many of them encroaching upon government land along National Highway 715 (Asian Highway No 1) had not only led to serious obstruction in management of Kaziranga National Park, but has also blocked natural animal corridors.

The CAG report had found 29 resorts and dhabas in Bokakhat Revenue Circle that were running for up to 40 years on land falling within 2-3 kms of the Kaziranga National Park boundary, had changed land pattern from agricultural to commercial. Five other resorts and dhabas have also applied for change of land-use pattern, it said. At least one major resort on the other hand has been constructed on over 19 bigha of government land, the CAG report had said.