The Meghalaya High Court recently urged the State government to take proactive steps in addressing the ecological destruction in the region.
A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh emphasized that lack of employment opportunities should not serve as a justification for encroaching on forest land or harming the environment.
The division bench expressed its concern over the contamination of water and destruction of forests in Meghalaya, emphasizing the need to protect the fragile biosphere and ecology of the State. It pointed out the appropriation of forest land for human use and the felling of trees for construction purposes, particularly along highways.
During the hearing, the Court expressed disappointment with the Meghalaya Waterbodies (Preservation and Conservation) Guidelines, 2023. It called for better guidelines to be established within six weeks, addressing issues such as maintaining distance between waterbodies and construction sites.
The bench also sought a more comprehensive approach from the State, District Councils, and citizens in preparing and implementing an action plan to protect the environment. It upheld the ban on construction work around water bodies, as ordered in earlier rulings.
