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The Eastern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) addressed a case involving the alleged encroachment on forest land in Durgapur, West Bengal. Shyam Cell and Power Limited, a company operating in the area, has been accused of illegal encroachment on forest land.
The NGT hearing on January 5, 2024, prompted the court to issue notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Government of West Bengal, and Shyam Cell and Power Limited.
The case originated from an application seeking guidelines for the protection of forest land in Mauza Madumpur, Durgapur. The applicant raised concerns about the encroachment activities by Shyam Cell and Power Limited, prompting the NGT's intervention.
Shyam Cell & Power Limited had previously submitted an application on September 29, 2021, for environmental clearance related to the expansion and modification of its integrated steel plant at Jamuria. The expansion plan included various facilities like Oxygen Plant, Producer Gas Plant, Sinter Plant, Coke Oven Plant, Blast Furnace, DRI Plant, Pellet Plant, Rolling Mill, and Captive Power Plant.
The industry's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, submitted to obtain clearance, claimed that no forest land was involved in the expansion proposal. However, on April 13, 2023, the Forest Range Officer of Asansol Range informed the Jamuria police station about the encroachment. An on-site investigation confirmed that the industry had encroached on 8.59 acres of forest land. Consequently, the Range Officer issued a notice to demolish the illegal structures.
During the NGT hearing, the applicant's counsel, Ms. Paushali Banerjee, argued for the protection and preservation of forest land in Mouza Madumpur. The NGT directed notices to the concerned parties and set a deadline of four weeks for filing affidavits in response. The next hearing for this case is scheduled for February 6, 2024.
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