Guwahati: Assam-based environmental activist Rohit Chowdhury has approached the Union Environment Ministry against Assam’s Special Chief Secretary (Forest) M.K. Yadava, alleging that the state government has failed to submit a report sought by the Centre on the alleged illegal diversion of forest land in three reserve forests.
In a complaint to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chowdhury sought an independent Central inquiry into the alleged violations. He also questioned the Ministry’s decision to refer complaints back to the Assam Forest Department for examination.
Chowdhury said he had first lodged a complaint on September 27, 2025, seeking an inquiry into three alleged violations of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, involving the illegal diversion of forest land in Daldali Reserve Forest, Biswanath Reserve Forest and Kundil Kalia Reserve Forest.
According to his letter, the Ministry forwarded the complaint to the Assam government on October 27, 2025, seeking an examination of the allegations and a detailed report. It again sought the factual position and a detailed report on May 5, 2026, noting that the earlier report had not been received.
Chowdhury said a subsequent RTI reply from the Forest Conservation Division confirmed that the Assam government had not submitted any report in response to the Ministry’s May 5 communication.
He also flagged alleged illegal mining in the Parkup Pahar Range under the Karbi Anglong East Division, within the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Elephant Reserve adjoining Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The complaint, filed on October 7, 2026, alleged violations of the Supreme Court’s April 12, 2019, order in I.A. No. 42944/2019 in W.P. (Civil) No. 202/1995.
Chowdhury said the Ministry, through a letter dated November 6, 2026, forwarded the complaint regarding illegal mining to the Special Chief Secretary (Forest), Assam, asking the state government to examine the allegations and take appropriate action in accordance with the law. The letter was issued by Charan Jeet Singh, Scientist ‘E’, Forest Conservation Division, MoEFCC.
Questioning this approach, Chowdhury cited two letters issued by the Ministry on May 29, 2025, through which the MoEFCC and its regional office in Shillong had reportedly held that M.K. Yadava, then the PCCF and HoFF, Assam, had no authority to permit the diversion of forest land without prior approval from the Central government.
According to Chowdhury, the letters described the actions as gross violations of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, and authorised the concerned Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) to initiate legal action against the offender and submit an Action Taken Report within 45 days.
Chowdhury questioned why the Ministry continued to refer complaints involving alleged environmental violations to the same officer and department for examination, despite its earlier findings.
He alleged that this practice undermined accountability and allowed officials facing allegations to examine complaints concerning their own department. He also claimed that no meaningful action had followed repeated communications from the Ministry and that the required action-taken reports remain unsubmitted.
Seeking the Union Minister’s personal intervention, Chowdhury called for an independent inquiry by a Central government team and action against officers who allegedly facilitated, ignored or failed to act on the violations.
