Monday, September 25, 2017

NGT seeks report on elephant corridor

By Express News Service  |   Published: 18th September 2017 05:33 AM  |  
Last Updated: 18th September 2017 07:27 AM  | 

BHUBANESWAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed displeasure with Odisha Government over its delay in demarcation and notification of the elephant corridors in the State.
Hearing an ongoing case last week, the Eastern Zone Bench of the tribunal said, it was disappointed with the lethargic pace of work of the State agencies.
On January 13, the NGT had directed State Government, Secretary to Forest and Environment Department and Chief Wildlife Warden to expedite the process.The Government had submitted that work of habitat viability assessment and ground truthing of 14 identified corridors was handed over to Asian Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF) and a report was expected soon.
However, during the hearing, the Government counsel said the ANCF report is expected in the first week of October.According to petitioner’s advocate Sankar Prasad Pani, the NGT directed the State Government agencies to ensure that the report is filed by ANCF within the specified period and furnished before the tribunal.
Besides, a specific time frame for completion of the entire exercise before publication of the notification must also be provided to the tribunal by the State agencies, he said.Quoting the Supreme Court’s observation in a case concerning the plight of Asiatic lions in Gir Forest, the NGT said, this earth is not for the survival of human race alone as other species have equal right too.
 Pani submitted that despite NGT’s order not to carry out non-permissible activities in such eco-sensitive zones, illegal operations of various commercial units are still be run within the jumbo corridors.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2017/sep/18/ngt-seeks-report-on-elephant-corridor-1658910.html

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