Information obtained by a citizen through the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary (IWLS), notified on 14 July, 1978, exists only on paper, with the majority of the area now encroached upon.
The Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary, spanning approximately 140.8 sq kms, was created with the aim of protecting the region’s rich biodiversity. However, there is no biodiversity left, only concrete everywhere, with every available inch of land encroached upon by both government and private individuals from across the state.
Documents reveal that since 1980, not a single permission or clearance has been granted by the forest department for any construction within the sanctuary’s boundaries – yet this has not deterred anyone, including the state government, from building. The civil secretariat, the state assembly, the creation of the Itanagar Municipal Corporation, and even the assembly constituency all fall within the sanctuary and are, therefore, illegal.
The damage cannot be undone now, but it clearly shows that the government itself has not respected its own decisions; so expecting citizens to do so is unrealistic. It also reflects the poor implementation of forest laws by the forest department. A large part of the responsibility lies with the department, which chose to look the other way. There is no point in having laws if they are not going to be respected or properly implemented.