The National Green Tribunal today (December 18, 2019) issued a notice against the Chief Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest And Climate Change for the non-implementation of its judgment regarding the protection of wildlife and biological diversity of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
Irked by the fact that the Union of India and the State of U.P. had failed to implement its judgment with respect to the protection and conservation of biological diversity, wildlife and environment of the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, the NGT today on a plea filed by the Centre for Wildlife and Environmental Litigation through its Secretary, Bhanu Bansal, had issued notices to MoEFCC and the U.P. Government and asked them to file a status report on the issue of implementation of its judgment.
Chiranjjeevi Wind Energy limited (CWEL), in its contempt application has stated that on May 31, 2019, NGT had directed the MoEFCC and U.P. Government to issue a notification under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 within 6 months from the issuance of the said order, so that biological diversity, environment and wildlife of the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary could remain protected and conserved.
However, till date neither the Government authorities have issued said notification nor have they filed a compliance report in this regard as directed by the court.
CWEL had also submitted that due to the negligence of the authorities, species like swamp deer, hog deer, gangatic grasslands, etc. are at stake as there is a lot of anthropogenic disturbance within the sanctuary and the same needs to be addressed.
NGT has given another month’s time for compliance to the authorities and listed the matter for hearing on January 24, 2020.
