NGT Halts Deployment of Forest Guards for Assam Assembly Elections
Assam: NGT stays order for deployment of forest guards in upcoming polls
The Economic TimesImage: The Economic Times
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has stayed an order for deploying approximately 1,600 personnel from the Assam Forest Protection Force for the upcoming April 9 Assembly elections. The tribunal raised concerns over the diversion of these personnel from their conservation duties, potentially compromising the protection of Assam's ecologically sensitive forests.
- 01NGT stayed the deployment of 1,600 forest guards for elections.
- 02The Assam government aimed to use forest personnel to assist police.
- 03Concerns raised about the impact on forest conservation and biodiversity.
- 04NGT issued notices to various environmental authorities.
- 05The matter is set for further hearing on April 6.
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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has temporarily halted an order that would have deployed around 1,600 personnel from the Assam Forest Protection Force for the upcoming April 9 Assembly elections in Assam. The Assam government planned to mobilize these forest guards to assist the police during the elections. However, the NGT's eastern zonal bench in Kolkata, led by judicial member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Ishwar Singh, expressed concerns that diverting these personnel from their primary responsibilities of protecting and conserving biological resources would violate the Biological Diversity Act. The tribunal highlighted that such a large-scale diversion could leave Assam's ecologically sensitive areas, including tiger reserves and protected regions, vulnerable to illegal activities like poaching and timber felling. The NGT issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Assam state government, and other relevant bodies, emphasizing the need for urgent conservation efforts. The tribunal has scheduled a hearing for responses and submissions on April 6.
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The NGT's decision protects Assam's forests from potential threats during the election period, ensuring that conservation efforts are prioritized over electoral assistance.
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