Kaziranga Park being encroached daily: NGT

The National Green Tribunal today pulled up the Assam government for failing to restrain construction in the 'No-Development Zone' in Kaziranga National Park, saying the boundaries of the protected area were being encroached daily.
"Every day boundaries of Kaziranga National Park is being encroached. Houses, hotels and industries are being constructed in protected areas. We don't understand what is the Assam government doing in the matter," a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar said.
The bench said these constructions in the protected areas of the park, which is famous for single-horned rhinos, are blocking the elephant corridors.
It asked the state government to file a reply by November 23 on the state Environment Impact Assessment Authority's (SEIAA) report justifying the Environment Clearance given to Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) for construction of a boundary wall for a golf course and a township.

The Tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Assam resident Rohit Choudhary seeking directions to immediately demolish the wall constructed by NRL and stop tree felling so as to prevent degradation of the environment.
Choudhary has alleged that NRL, a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum, Oil India and Assam government, has illegally built a two-km long boundary wall for a golf course around their township which has obstructed elephant movement causing the death of an elephant calf in May.

The tribunal had on October 9 pulled up NRL for cutting trees to construct a boundary wall for a golf course in the 'No-Development Zone' in Kaziranga National Park, saying its forest clearance was an "abuse of law".

It had asked the Assam government to inspect the site and submit an inspection report in this regard.
The DFO of Golaghat Division had stated that the land acquired by NRL was in clear violation of the established laws, rules and conditions.
The Tribunal had earlier restrained Numaligarh Refinery from carrying out any construction activity in the national park and directed Assam government to submit original records of documents including any environmental clearance and clearance from National Wildlife Board given to the refinery.