Assam Forms New Environmental Watchdog Panels

Guwahati: The Assam government launched two statutory bodies to manage environmental project clearances. This move follows a notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued October 6. Both the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority and the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee will serve four-year terms.

Retired Assam Public Works Department Secretary Shyamanta Bezbarua will chair the authority. Joining him is Gauhati University botany professor Dr. Socindra Kumar Borthakur. The Secretary of the state Environment, Forests and Climate Change Department handles member secretary duties. The group bases its clearance decisions on recommendations from the expert committee.

Former Kaziranga National Park field director Jatindra Sarma leads the appraisal committee. He guides a team of six members including Prof. Parthankar Choudhury, Dr. Rahul Mahanta, Dr. Arup Barpujary, Dr. Arup Kumar Sarma, Dr. Bhagwat Pran Duwarah, and Dr. Narayan Sharma. The Member Secretary of the Assam Pollution Control Board fills the final seat. Officials noted that the expert panel works through shared accountability. According to the mandate, "Its chairman will seek consensus on each case, while the majority view will prevail in the event of a lack of consensus."

Offices occupy the third floor of the Assam Pollution Control Board in Guwahati. The state provides all logistical and financial support for these new operations. The government will detail specific pay and travel allowances in a later announcement.