The illegal felling of trees and illegal operation of Sawmills in Meghalaya has assumed such wide and significant proportion that the said illegal operation of saw mills and also illegal felling of trees has resulted in severe public outcry in the State. The common conscious citizens of the country have reasons to be anxious in the face of gross mismanagement of the entire forest cover and resources of the State. The entire episode has now attained higher proportions in view of some recent developments which prima facie reveal the intention of the authorities manning the affairs of the State to help in achievement of undue gains to a few individuals at the cost of the Environment, depleting the Forest resources and Public Interest, and environmental safety.
A PIL was filed by Advocate Nayanjyoti Medhi on behalf of the Garo Students Union through the Khasi Hills Zone President Sanjeeb A Sangma and General Secretary Alex R Marak praying for urgent judicial intervention of the Gauhati High Court into the illegal operation of sawmills and also illegal felling of trees in the State of Meghalaya, more particularly in the Garo Hills region and the subsequent inaction by the department of forest and other authorities in the State of Meghalaya to ensure strict compliance of the Hon'ble Apex Court's orders passed in W.P 202 of 1995 [T.N. Godavarman Thirumulkpad versus Union of India]. It was prayed on behalf of the Garo Students Union that if Gauhati High Court does not urgently interfere to close down the illegal saw mills operating in the State of Meghalaya and monitor the entire conservation of natural forests, protection, forest rehabilitation, regeneration, afforestation, reforestation and new plantations, with a view to maintaining or restoring the ecological balance, the State will soon have depleted the entire forest cover leading to environmental imbalances of catastrophic proportions. The Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Shri Jasti Chelameshwar and Justice Hrishikesh Roy has admitted the petition and issued notice to the Government of Meghalaya which was accepted by Government Advocate of Meghalaya Sri Ratul Goswami.
Further details may be had from Sanjeeb A Sangma at +91 98630 22587 or +91 94363 13284
PermalinkSubmitted by MD AFTAR HUSSAI... on Sat, 26/01/2008 - 17:10
Sir,
It is very nice that our people is now environment conscious. Sir in my locality (Doboka, Nagaon, Assam) there also many illegal saw mills running. But the Ranger takes monthly ransom money from the owner and they are now destroying our valuable forest.
The northeastern region is running with a deplorable state of affairs if the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2007, is any indication. Making this startling revelation, the report says enrollment in Assam was found at more than 90 per cent and the attendance in schools was only at 70 per cent. The out-of-school students in Assam were found about 6.9 per cent and about 66 per cent schools did not have toilets and 40 per cent did not have access to potable water, the report added. The out-of-school figure in the age group of 6-14 years in Tripura was higher than the national average while in Meghalaya it was almost double the national average, says the report. According to the ASER...
The army killed two more terrorists at an encounter near Namsai along Assam-Arunachal border early in the morning on Tuesday. According to information, the encounter with the Army's Dah Division took place at a distance of 10 kilometers in the north of Namsai and the rebels have yet to be identified. A pistol, a revolver and 10 kgs of IED have been recovered from them. Details are awaited.
The over all flood situation in the north Assam district of Lakhimpur is remaining unchanged and army jawans are still in the rescue operation and more and more marooned peoples are shifting to safer places. A vast tracts of human habitation and farmland have been submerged and over ten-lakh people have been affected by the flood where the unofficial death toll is said to be 19. Five people were reportedly washed away by the river Ranganadi and their bodies are yet to be found. Boats and rafts were deployed by the army to transport people sheltering on roof tops to relief camps set up in highlands, schools and colleges. Flash floods in catchment areas of neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh...
People crossing the river with the help of a boat in the flood affected Lakhimpur on 16-06-08 as the first wave of floods hit Lakhimpur on 14th June 2008 with breaches occurring in the embankments and overtopping of cofferdam of Ranganadi, Singara and Kakoi rivers following heavy downpour in their catchments in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The situation is still critical in the area. Pix by UB Photos.
The ministry of external affairs has open its North east branch liason office in th city on Sunday. Inaugurating the office, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee said the new branch secretariat would go a long way in fulfilling the aspirations of the people of the NE region in having better liason with the External Affairs Ministry on issues concerning foreign trade, foreign direct investment and cultural exchanges.The minister urged the north eastern states to take advantage of the new branch secretariat to move forward with Look East policy and greater coordination and planning by the North Eastern Council (NEC).Mr Mukherjee stressed the need to improve connectivity saying economic...
5 years old Swimmer from Sivasaga, Shivangi Sharma showing the Victory sign after completing her feat of crossing the river Ganga (from both banks) in Varanasi on 10-06-08. Pix by UB Photos.
The Centre is drawing up a massive plan to boost trans border trade in the North East with the neighbouring countries.Addressing the reporters on Sunday, DoNER minister mani Shankar Aiyer said Prime Minister Dr Manmohan will unveil an ambitious programme to expedite the pace of socio-economic development of the north eastern region. He said named as Vision 2020, the programme will help the region boost its relationship with the neighbouring China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal."The Centre is giving thrust in North East India's trade relations with its neighbouring countries," he said adding that the development of Indian economy with the new initiatives dressed for improving...
Altogether four hardcore ULFA militants were killed at a fierce fighting with army at Kanubari along the Assam-Nagaland border in Sivasagar district. According to information, acting on a tip off, army conducted a raid at the area where a few ULFA cadres were basing for the last couple of days. The deceased ULFA cadres have yet to be identified. Details are awaited.
The Assam Government’s claim over Langpih gets more teeth as the Gauhati High Court has asked the Meghalaya government to a compensate an amount of Rs 1 lakh each to three residents of the area after being arrested by the Meghalaya Police charging them with illegally residing on Meghalaya territory.According to information, the High Court passed the order on Friday while it was hearing the petitions of the victims namely Ram Bahadur Chetri, Dipendra Limbu and Tara Bahadur Gurung who were arrested in 2004 by by the Nongstone Police station. Later on February 14, 2005 they were released.The trio knocked at the doors of the Gauhati High Court and after a few rounds of hearing, a division...
The flood situation in the north Assam district remains unchanged for second day. More and more areas have come under the surging waters of the Ronganadi, Singarajan, Dikrong after these rivers breached embankments in seven places.According to information, more than 1000 villages in North Lakhimpur district along with parts ofg Dhemaji have been submerged by the floodwaters.All sorts of surface communication in Bihpuria, Naoboisa, Dhakuwakhana and the adjoining areas have been remaining cut off from Saturday morning these rivers breached embankments in several places including Kakoi affecting a huge 10 lakh populace.This has forced affected people, who have been rendered homeless, to take...
Comments
Pages
Add new comment