The West Bengal Government has constituted a 23-member committee to look into violations of environmental norms in the Sunderbans. This was stated in the action taken report submitted by the Chief Secretary to the Eastern Zonal Bench of the National Green Tribunal here on Wednesday.
The Committee will be headed by Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra and will have secretaries of various departments along with representatives from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Prominent environmental activist Subhas Datta and joint secretary of Nature Environment and Wildlife Society Ajanta Dey have also been included as members.
During the hearing, the Court pointed out that if the State government failed to carry out the directives of the Bench for protection of Sunderbans it will amount to Constitutional failure. The Court cautioned that if the State government failed in its duties, the Army can be deployed in the Sunderbans.
Both of them raised the issue of illegal construction of houses under the State government’s Gitanjali Scheme in 24 Parganas district. The Court directed the government to take necessary steps in this regard.
