OUR CORRESPONDENT
TINSUKIA: After nearly 45 years, the Saleki Proposed Reserve Forest (PRF) has become a Reserve Forest (RF) following orders issued by the Governor of Assam along with the first addition to three other nearby Reserved Forests in Digboi Forest Division under Section 17 of the Assam Forest Regulation 1891(VIII of 1891).
While notifications for Saleki RF, 1st Addition of Tirap RF and 1st Addition of Makumpani RF were issued on January 5, 2022, the 1st Addition of Tipong RF was notified on March 9, 2022. All these notifications were released simultaneously on Wednesday.
The North-Eastern Coal Fields of Coal India Limited had to bear the brunt of closure in 2020, besides punitive action against Compensatory Afforestation and Net Present Value (NPV) for mining illegally in 98.59 hectares of forest land in Tikok Open Cast Project (OCP) under Saleki PRF since 2003. That led the Assam Government to constitute the Justice BP Katakey Commission of Inquiry. The present notification declaring Reserved Forest vide no FRK.14/2021/Pt/124, the Saleki Reserve Forest will have an area of 1700 hectares with boundaries covering 38 GPS points in East and South and North and West.
The notification vides no FRK.14/2021/Pt/125 encompasses 1st Addition to Tirap Reserve Forest covering an area of 3025 hectares with boundaries demarcated as pillar no 2 of Tirap RF extended to the left bank of Tirap Nadi in the north and its confluence with Khasi Wa in East and South and Eastern boundary of the proposed 1st Addition to pillar no 2 in West direction.
By notification, no FRK.14/2021/Pt/126, an area of 55 hectares have been added to 1st Addition of Makumpani RF. Similarly by another notification vide no FRM.14/2021/282, an area of 2020 hectares of forest land have been added to the 1st Addition of Tipong Reserve Forest.
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