Guwahati: Following a significant decline in Assam’s forest cover by 83.92 square kilometers between 2021 and 2023, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has called for the Centre’s intervention.
The tribunal took suo-motu cognizance of a media report citing findings from the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023.
In an order issued on January 22, an NGT bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad highlighted alarming statistics from the report.
The recorded forest area in Assam alone saw a reduction of 86.66 square kilometers, accompanied by a substantial degradation in canopy density, affecting 1,699 square kilometers of forest.
The bench expressed grave concern over the broader implications of this decline, emphasizing threats to biodiversity, disruption of ecological balance, and setbacks to climate change mitigation efforts.
It also noted similar declines in other northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh (1,084 sq. km), Mizoram (987 sq. km), and the environmental challenges posed by rubber plantations in Tripura.
The tribunal remarked that the findings pointed to potential violations of the Forest Conservation Act and the Environment (Protection) Act. It called for an examination of compliance with environmental norms in these regions.
To address the issue, the NGT has impleaded key stakeholders, including the secretary of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the principal chief conservators of forests for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Tripura.
Notices have been issued to these respondents, directing them to submit their responses by January 29, when further proceedings will take place.
The NGT’s intervention underscores the urgent need for corrective measures to safeguard the region’s forest resources and address the environmental concerns affecting northeastern India.
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