Environmental organisations demand circuit bench of NGT

With the aim of protecting the environment and wildlife of North Bengal, environmental organisations have raised a demand of setting up a circuit bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Siliguri for North Bengal.

More than 10 organisations working for nature and environment have jointly submitted a letter to the National Green Tribunal in Delhi with this demand. The green tribunal directed the organisations to submit case study reports on what kind of environmental damage has occurred or may occur in which places of North Bengal. Accordingly, the organisations have started collecting case study reports. They are about to submit 30 case study reports to the NGT.

Kaustav Chowdhury, secretary of Solitary Nature and Animal Protection Foundation (SNAP) said: “If we need to lodge any complaint regarding the environment there is no place in North Bengal. We have to go to Delhi to register a case. North Bengal is a place of nature and wildlife therefore, we have raised the demand.” Judge Sonam Wagdi, the former principal of National Green Tribunal also supported the demand of these organisations. He helped the organisations with collecting data and with all legal procedures.

Till now, these organisations have collected case study reports on the environmental situation of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, the incident of flash-floods in Teesta River, condition of Mahananda River of Siliguri etc.

They are trying to find out how many resorts, hotels have been constructed near National Park under Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar district. They are also checking whether any residential complex is being constructed on tea garden land.

Darjeeling District Legal Aid forum is one of the organisations who has started the movement. They have applied for the Right To Information (RTI) Act to get details about land and constructions. “We need information on numerous subjects for case studies. So, we have applied for RTI to the DMs of different districts of North Bengal. We hope administration will cooperate,” said Amit Sarkar, secretary of Darjeeling district Legal Aid Forum. These case study reports will be sent to the NGT within the next week.