Greenfield Airport In Silchar; Supreme Court Directs Status Quo

In a legal twist of affairs, the proposed Greenfield Airport Project in Cachar’s Dolu area has come to an abrupt halt just two months after receiving site clearance. The Steering Committee for Greenfield Airports, under the Central Ministry of Civil Aviation, had granted official site clearance for the project back in February. However, on Monday, April 8, the Supreme Court of India directed to maintain the status quo at the Dolu Tea Estate, effectively putting a stop to the project.

The order was issued by a bench of judges of the Supreme Court of India, comprising Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Mishra. The order stated, “Pending further orders, there shall be a stay of the operation of the impugned judgment and order of the Eastern Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal dated 25 January 2024, and pending further directions, the status quo shall be maintained at the site.”

The Supreme Court’s decision came after Tapas Guha and others filed a case challenging the decision of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued on January 25, 2024. Guha argued that an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Clearance are required for site clearance and environmental approvals, which were lacking in this case. The NGT, in its January 25 directive, had indicated awaiting the environmental assessment report.

The plaintiffs raised concerns about the potential environmental impact of the proposed Greenfield airport construction, especially on the tea plants at Dolu Tea Estate, without conducting a proper assessment. They also requested to maintain the previous conditions at Dolu Tea Estate, including compensating for the damage caused by cutting tea bushes.

It is worth noting that Dolu Tea Estate is surrounded by four tea gardens – Dolu, Maynaguri, Lalbag, and Murlidhar, covering an area of ​​1202 hectares. The plaintiffs alleged that 325 hectares of land in Dolu Tea Estate had been seized, leaving the workers in distress.

The future of the Greenfield Airport Project at Dolu Tea Estate remains uncertain as the Supreme Court’s decision has put a pause on the construction activities.

Addressing Media, Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev took a swipe at the BJP by bringing up Supreme Court order on maintaining the status quo at the site of the Green Field Airport. She spoke regarding the alleged illegal land acquisition techniques of BJP, emphasizing that while her party TMC supports the construction of the airport, the BJP’s methods were unlawful. Dev condemned the uprooting of tea plants at Dolu Bagan and the reported mistreatment of protesting labourers.

Dev asserted that if the BJP had adhered to the law, the project wouldn’t have faced this abrupt halt. She believes, the project has been stopped for approximately 10 years. She accused the BJP of orchestrating a conspiracy to delay the project, citing it as an example of betrayal towards the people of Barak Valley.