The Eastern Zone Circuit Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set up a four member committee to look into allegations made in encroachment of Karbatal wetland at Begusarai district in Bihar.
The NGT has directed that “committee shall inspect the site in question and submit its report within four weeks on affidavit with regard to the allegations made”.
The allegations of encroachment and degradation of the Ramsar Site were made by environmental activist Subhas Dutta who approached the National Green Tribunal. The site of Karbatal wetlands was designated as Bird Sanctuary by the Government of Bihar in 1989.
The wetland is stated to contain a cluster of 16-17 waterbodies in total and is a catchment area for rainwater but the same has been encroached over a period of time and it has been alleged that this area has been allowed to be reduced.
The site was spread over 2,620 hectares of open water and marshes interspersed with plantation and as per the 2019 post monsoon report and nearly 82% of the site was a marsh (of which 25% cultivated) and 16% is open water and the rest is plantation or borrow land.
“Considering the allegations made, we deem it appropriate to constitute a Committee comprising of the following Members: (i) Senior Scientist, Bihar State Pollution Control Board, (ii) Senior Officer, Bihar State Wetland Authority, (iii) Divisional Forest Officer, Begusarai, and (iv) District Magistrate, Begusarai, or his representative not below the rank of Additional District Magistrate,” the order by the NGT Eastern Zone bench earlier this month said.
Environmental experts had expressed concerns that encroachment and drying of the lake has badly affected birds who have lost their habitat. The waterbody was declared a Ramsar site in 2020 and it is Asia largest freshwater oxbow lake.
