The eastern zonal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Kolkata has taken suo motu cognisance of an alleged illegal road construction in environmentally sensitive areas of Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh. The action was initiated after a report on the issue was published in a local newspaper last year. The matter was heard by a bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, judicial member, and Dr Afroz Ahmad, expert member. The tribunal examined a news report dated April 22, which claimed that road construction activities were being carried out in fragile catchment areas between Ganga–Taipu and Ganga–Tago without following proper environmental safeguards. After going through the report, the tribunal observed that the allegations were serious in nature and required detailed examination. It noted that road construction in catchment areas, if done without statutory clearances and safeguards, could lead to long-term environmental damage.
To ensure effective adjudication, the tribunal ordered that the state of Arunachal Pradesh, represented through the principal secretary of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, be made a party to the case. The Public Works Department, represented by its secretary and commissioner, was also impleaded as a respondent. The tribunal has directed all respondents to file their replies within one month, clearly explaining their position on the alleged road construction and the environmental safeguards, if any, that were followed. During the hearing, an interlocutory application was filed by SD Loda and Techi Tat, who sought to be impleaded as co-applicants in the case. However, the bench clarified that since the proceedings were initiated by the tribunal on its own motion, co-applicant status could not be granted. At the same time, the tribunal allowed them to assist the court by submitting relevant documents and making oral submissions during the hearings.
The matter has now been listed for further consideration on March 27. According to the newspaper report that triggered the tribunal’s action, the alleged road construction has caused concern among environmental observers and local residents. The report warned that the catchment areas involved are ecologically fragile and vulnerable to landslides and soil erosion. It also pointed out that unregulated construction in hill districts like Papum Pare can disrupt natural water flow, increase the risk of landslides, and cause long-term ecological harm. The publication stressed the need for strict adherence to environmental laws and clearances, especially in sensitive mountainous regions.
