NGT says interference not required in construction of commando battalion HQ
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that its interference is not required in a matter regarding the alleged illegal permission granted for construction of the second Assam Commando Battalion unit headquarters inside the inner line of reserved forest in Assam's Hailakandi district.
The tribunal disposed of the matter, saying it had received an affidavit from the state government that the project's construction would be confined to less than 20,000 square metres or around 4.94 acres and according to rules, and Environmental Clearance (EC) was not required for such construction. The green body had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report, which alleged that top forest officials of the Assam government had illegally diverted 44 acres of protected forest land for a Commando Battalion Headquarters -- a project which was being executed by the Assam Police Housing Corporation.
"In the affidavit dated April 25, 2025, the state of Assam has taken the stand that it will confine its construction to 20,000sqm (19,668sqm to be precise). For such a construction, EC is not required," said a bench of NGT chairperson Prakash Shrivastava in an order dated May 30.
The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel noted the state government's affidavit, according to which, "The state government is ready to dismantle all the constructions beyond 20,000sqm and shall not undertake any further construction (of buildings and premises) beyond the said limit, for which no EC is required as per the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006.
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