Guwahati High Court asks Assam Forest Dept to explain why Garbhanga's Wildlife Sanctuary status was cancelled.
GUWAHATI : The Guwahati High Court has taken a stern view on the de-notification of the Garbhanga Wildlife Sanctuary. The court has directed the Assam Forest Department to file a detailed affidavit explaining the reasons behind the sudden cancellation of the notification that granted protected status to the Garbhanga Reserve Forest.
A division bench, led by Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, issued this directive while hearing two separate Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya and activist Subrat Talukdar. The state government has been given a deadline until August 5, 2026, to submit its response.
Legal Scrutiny Over 'Arbitrary' De-notification
In March 2022, the Assam Government issued a preliminary notification declaring approximately 117 sq. km of the Garbhanga Reserve Forest as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Located on the outskirts of Guwahati and bordering Meghalaya, this forest is a vital ecosystem home to elephants, rare birds, and various reptile species.
However, in September 2023, the state cabinet decided to withdraw this notification without citing any specific reasons. Challenging this move, the petitioners’ counsel, Advocate Bikram Rajkhowa and Mrinmoy Khataniar, argued that the decision was "irrational and arbitrary."
“Once a notification for protected status is issued, any move to de-notify it requires prior approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and the Supreme Court, as per various landmark judgments,” the petitioners stated in their plea.
Concerns Over Illegal Mining and Biodiversity
The Garbhanga Reserve Forest is currently facing significant environmental threats. The PILs allege that the de-notification was influenced by a senior forest official to facilitate illegal stone mining in the region. Furthermore, there are concerns that the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) plans to construct a railway line through the heart of this biodiversity hotspot, which could lead to irreparable ecological damage.
The court’s order noted that Standing Counsel for the Forest Department, K.P. Pathak, has requested more time to compile the reasons for the withdrawal of the sanctuary status. The High Court has emphasized that the affidavit must be filed positively before the next hearing, with copies provided to the petitioners' counsel in advance.
As the legal battle intensifies, environmentalists and citizens are closely watching the Assam Forest Department's next move to see how it justifies prioritizing administrative changes over the protection of Guwahati’s critical green lungs.
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