Plea To Declare Eco-Sensitive Zone Around Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary: SC Notice To Centre

The Supreme Court has recently asked the Centre and the Assam government to respond to a plea seeking directions to declare the area around Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary as an eco-sensitive zone and remove all encroachments.

The 3 judge bench of Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, and Sanjay Karol issued notices to the Ministry of Environment & Forests and the state government with regard to the wildlife sanctuary in Assam.

The bench stated that “Issue notice, returnable on July 12, 2023. Liberty to serve the standing counsel for the State of Assam is granted.”

The apex court heard a plea filed by environmental activist Rohit Choudhury seeking directions to specifically define the boundary of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary without any further delay.

Further, the petition contended that the boundary of the sanctuary notified in 1998 under the Wildlife Protection Act is yet to be precisely marked, and the control of a part of the sanctuary area, the Khas land, that is yet to be handed over to the Forest department by the district administration.

The plea stated that, “As is evident from the series of letters exchanged between various forest officials as well as those with the Deputy Commissioner, Morigaon district, despite the passage of twenty-five years, the boundary of the Pobitora sanctuary is yet to be physically demarcated precisely.”

It said that, “Direct the respondents to precisely demarcate the boundary of the Pobitora Wild Life Sanctuary as per notification dated March 17, 1998, without any further delay.”