Wildlife Board Delays Vedanta's Oil Exploration

21 Oct 2024 , 12:41 PM

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) standing committee has postponed approving the Vedanta Group’s plans for oil exploration in the environmentally sensitive area of the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in the Jorhat district until after a site visit has been completed.

Representatives from the Wildlife Institute of India, the Assam Forest Department, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, as well as wildlife scientist and independent board member Raman Sukumar, will perform the site inspection.

Gaurav Gogoi, the MP for Jorhat, praised the board’s decision but emphasized the importance of doing a thorough analysis of the circumstances.

Gogoi wrote, “The deferment is only a temporary solution,” on a microblogging platform. “A thorough assessment of the circumstances must be conducted by the relevant government agencies. The endangered species and ecological legacy of Assam cannot be sacrificed for possible short-term gains.”

For feedback and suggestions, write to us at [e-mail]