AREIDA to drag Meghalaya to Green Tribul

By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, July 13: "We have decided to take legal action against the Meghalaya Government for the massive destruction of environment damaging our city," said Assam Real Estate and Infrastructure Developers' Association (AREIDA) president PK Sharma in a press conference in Guwahati today. Sharma said: "The massive destruction of environment along the Basistha River resulted in heavy silting on the river and extensive damage on Guwahati, Ramsar site Deepor Beel and the Brahmaputra. We, therefore, have decided to file a case against the Meghalaya Government in tiol Green Tribul under Section 15 sub sec (a) and (c) of the tiol Green Tribuls Act, 2010."  Sharma also said: "We came to know this during a recent trekking in the Gharbanga Reserve Forest under Kamrup eastern forest zone where a vast area of the forest on the banks of the Basistha river has been illegally encroached upon by land grabbers from Meghalaya. They have cut trees, burnt the forest and denuded the hills adding a heavy runoff silt load to Guwahati through the river. Led by a village headman, the area has been under their persol use. We have taken photographs and immediately informed Additiol Chief Secretary to Chief Minister MGKV Bhanu, leading to an eviction in the area on July 9. However, the Meghalaya Government is yet to take any initiative in this regard."