Mizoram’s youth environment group, Youth for Environment Justice Mizoram (YEJM) accused the Forest Department of Mizoram of failing to act despite witnessing that NHIDCL continued to violate environmental laws.
The youth group on Wednesday wrote a memorandum to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, accusing the NHIDCL of putting up fake spoil bank signs and saying they would launch an indefinite strike if the EF&CC does not take action within a week.
“The National Infrastructure and Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has been constructing the National Highway within Mizoram with utmost violation of all environmental laws without giving due respect for the sons of the soil in Mizoram. The NHIDCL, which should follow the environmental laws by creating spoil banks and dumping areas in order to dump the excavated soil of the constructed National Highway, ignored this very concept by dumping the excavated soil along the roadside, tons and tons of this soil was destroyed and depleted full grown trees and bamboo thus, destroyed the ecological balance and damaged the environment. Moreover, animals and birds along the roadside were annihilated. The seasonal & perennial rivers along the constructed roadsides were stuffed up by the dumped excavated soil, which resulted in the drying up of the said seasonal & perennial Rivers. This dumped excavated soil becomes muddy due to early monsoon rain in May, and the muddy water flowed into all the main rivers in Mizoram. The rivers of Mizoram then became severely polluted by mud which seriously affected the livelihood of the aquatic animals. Besides these, agriculture, which is the main livelihood of the people of Mizoram, mostly located alongside the road construction work as well as alongside the rivers, was severely damaged and affected by the above-stated activities. This results in loss of occupation of the affected people,” said Lalruatfela Khiangte, YEJM spokesperson.
Social and environment activist Vanramchhuangi submitted an appeal in the last week of May to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) requesting him to stop the construction activities of NHIDCL within Mizoram and proceeded to organise a silent strike. In response, the PCCF promised to look into the demands of the Environment Activist and issued an order to the District Forest Officers of Aizawl, Champhai, Lunglei, Thenzawl and Tlabung to enquire about the accusations regarding abuse of Environmental Laws per the Mizoram Forest Act 1955, Forest Conservation Act 1990 and the Environment Protection Act.
However, as per YEJMs observation, the NHIDCL has continued to violate environmental laws and set up fake signboards in the pretence of following orders.
“The DFO’s Office issued Stay Order to the NHIDCL, however, the NHIDCL did not obey the Spoil Bank stay Order issued from the DFO’s Office and continued to carry on their construction works till date by creating and erecting fake signboards written alongside the said constructed road. This indicated that the only order followed so far by the NHIDCL was the creation of a fake signboard ‘Spoil Bank’. This exhibited the attitude of the NHIDCL towards the people of Mizoram that as long as the company gains profit, the Mizos can suffer in the future. Three months after the DFO’s office stay order and the serious nature of the violation of all the Protection of Environmental Laws, the NHIDCL did not initiate any preventive measures or follow the Environmental Laws which deeply touch the core of our hearts,” said Khiangte.
In the memorandum to the PF&CC, YEJM expressed their concerns and stated that an indefinite strike would be launched if no action is taken, “What is more infuriating is that action has neither been initiated by your department against NHIDCL nor any violators of environmental laws for not complying with the many show cause notices and stay orders. What good is a show cause notice and stay order, if violators will not be penalised or persecuted? This lapse can never be ignored nor accepted by us. Therefore, one week after receipt of this letter, if the EF & CC do not initiate action then the YEJM will have no choice but to launch an indefinite strike in front of the EF & CC Office. If the Forest Department of Mizoram cannot safeguard our environment of the state, we want to convey once again that the sons of the soils know how to safeguard what God has gifted us.”
Concern for the environmental damages allegedly caused by NHIDCL led a group of youth to decide that it was time to take action and form a movement called the Youth for Environment Justice Mizoram. While there are other environmental NGOs in Mizoram, YEJM is the first organisation of its kind in the state, founded and driven solely by youth who are conscious about the environment.
Also Read | Mizoram logs 118 new COVID-19 cases