National Green Tribunal orders stocktaking at national park

GUWAHATI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order issued on Wednesday, stated that both applicants and respondents shall conduct a joint inspection of the mitigating measures taken by the state on the Kaziranga stretch of the NH-37 and present a report on the next date of hearing (July 2).
The joint inspection will take into consideration the steps taken to protect wildlife on the stretch of NH-37 that passes along Kaziranga National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Environment and RTI activist Rohit Choudhury is the applicant in the case, while the state forest department, public works department, Assam Pollution Control Board and Union ministry of environment, among others, are the respondents.
The state transport department had informed the forest and environment department earlier that three interceptor vehicles will be installed in the park for detection of offences along the Kaziranga stretch of the NH-37. Enforcement officers and transport department staff will take necessary action in case of offences like overloading and over-speeding on this corridor. The department had also said infrastructure will be set up for round-the-clock monitoring of the stretch by transport department officials.
Choudhury said he would like to see what measures had been taken by the state government and other agencies to regulate speed of vehicles on the Kaziranga stretch of the NH-37.