NGT disposes plea after CRPF drops plan to set up camp in J-K's Srinagar

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has disposed of an environmental plea challenging a proposed CRPF camp site in Srinagar district after the tribunal was informed that the proposal had been dropped.

The green body was hearing a plea against the setting up of the proposed camp for the 61, 79, 117 and 132 battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on 1,324 kanals of land in the Brain locality of Khanyar tehsil in Srinagar district.

The petition alleged several environmental violations, including a lack of assessment for the large carbon footprint, the likelihood of large-scale tree felling, the site being in the green zone near the protected area and wildlife corridors, besides being located in the home areas of the critically endangered Kashmiri stag and Asiatic black bear.

In its order dated February 16, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said, “The counsel for respondents 8 (directorate general of CRPF) and 9 (commandant of CRPF’s 79 Battalion in Srinagar) has submitted that he has received instructions from Vinod Sawant, in-charge (law) for IGP headquarters, that the proposal to set up the battalion camping site on the above piece of land has been dropped.” Noting the submission, the tribunal disposed of the petition, saying nothing remained in the case.

In September last year, the tribunal had issued notices to the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and others in the matter. PTI MNR ARI