Report belies animal security claims

GUWAHATI: Inspection reports submitted by green activist Rohit Choudhury and the state government, filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), have brought to light conflicting accounts of the measures adopted to control death and injury of animals on the stretch of NH-37 which passes along Kaziranga National Park.
Choudhury is the applicant in a case against the stretch of the highway which passes along the park, while the state government is one of the respondents.
In Choudhury's affidavit, submitted to NGT on Monday, he said no speed guns or cameras were seen by a joint inspection team on a stretch of the highway from Kohora to Burapahar.
In March this year, the NGT had ordered the state government to install cameras in six sections along the highway to ensure that vehicles do not exceed the prescribed 40 km per hour speed limit.
The joint inspection by park authorities, officials of other departments and Choudhury was conducted in June this year, as per the direction of the NGT.
In the affidavit, Choudhury also pointed out there is no mechanism in place to find out whether vehicles are overloaded and no record is maintained of the number of vehicles passing along the stretch.
However, the joint inspection report submitted to NGT by the respondent said interceptor vehicles fitted with speed guns and cameras were inspected by the team at various points on the highway.
Further, the respondent's report said overspeeding vehicles were intercepted and there were several rumble strips with adequate signs displaying the speed limit.
Choudhury's affidavit, however, claimed that the entire inspection was done in a hurried manner. He mentioned in his affidavit that an atmosphere of fear was created at the time of inspection to dissuade proper checking.
The respondent's report countered the allegations and said a large number of agitated locals gathered during the joint inspection to insist upon their demands.
The report mentioned that resumption of road improvement work, reduction of rumble strips, immediate construction of flyovers on animal corridors between Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat on the highway and widening of the lane of the highway between Kaliabor and Numaligarh were some issues raised by the public.