GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court pulled up the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for neglecting its responsibilities in the Silchar Greenfield Airport Project case.
The apex court, on Monday, voiced grave concern regarding the ongoing construction, stressing that it began without obtaining the necessary Environmental Clearance.
Consequently, the court overturned the NGT’s 2006 decision and issued a suspension on all airport construction activities until the mandatory environmental clearance is obtained.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra underscored the failure of the NGT to uphold its responsibilities as an expert body mandated to safeguard the environment.
The court condemned the tribunal’s half-hearted approach in addressing the grievances of the appellants, highlighting the need for thorough scrutiny of the project’s environmental impact.
“In this context, we have concluded that the NGT has entirely shirked its duties. As a statutory body established by Parliament to ensure environmental preservation, it was incumbent upon the Tribunal to investigate the validity of the appellants’ concerns,” remarked the bench, as reported by the national press.
The Silchar Greenfield Airport project, aimed at establishing a commercial airport in Silchar, Assam, has stirred controversy due to its environmental complications.
Notably, the clearance activities included nearly 41 lakh tea bushes and the felling of several shade trees across the Doloo and Silkori tea estates, totalling approximately 335 hectares.
Despite challenges brought before the NGT, the tribunal refrained from intervening, prompting the Supreme Court to step in.
Earlier directives from the apex court, including the summoning of the Secretary of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Silchar, to assess on-ground developments, shed light on inconsistencies regarding the felling of shade trees and eviction activities.
The court took note of the affidavit submitted by the Government of Assam, refuting claims of unauthorised tree felling and eviction, asserting that the removal of tea bushes was part of routine cultivation practices exempt from environmental clearance requirements.
On April 27, the Secretary of the DLSA, provided a report stating that 89 shade trees have been identified as being cut down, and due to the dense forest cover in the area, it was difficult to ascertain the full extent of other potential tree felling.
