Gauhati Hill Cutting Row: High Court Flags Rising Flood Menace, Asks State To File Action Taken Report

The Gauhati High Court on Monday (May 26) directed the Assam Government to furnish a detail report regarding the measures taken by the Administration in pursuance to the report submitted by the Agency which has been hired for suggesting a plan for tackling flood menace in the Guwahati City.

The division bench comprising the Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kardak Ete was hearing a PIL highlighting the issue of encroachments and cutting of hills which it said, leads to artificial floods and landslides.

The Court vide its order dated March 21, had directed the Assam Government to place on record measures taken by it to tackle the problem of 'hill cutting' in greater Guwahati and surrounding areas as well as other areas in the state.

In compliance with the said order, the Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, filed an additional affidavit detailing the steps taken. The affidavit further highlighted the existing Regulations to tackle the problem of hill cutting in Guwahati.

The Amicus Curiae submitted that though the State Government has taken some measures, as a matter of fact hill cutting is still going on. It was also submitted that the regulations are very much there but strict compliance of the regulations is not reflected from the actions of the authorities. The Amicus prayed for some time to highlight the recent incidents of hill cutting in and around the Guwahati City

“It is also to be noticed that recently on account of rains the problem of flood has occurred on the roads and some of the residential areas in Guwahati, which has also been reported widely in the newspapers as well as on television,” the Court noted.

The Court directed the Advocate General, Assam to furnish a detail report regarding the measures taken by the Administration for tackling flood menace in the Guwahati City.

The matter is listed again on June 11.

Case Title: North East Eco Development Society v. The State of Assam & 3 Ors.

Case No.: PIL/14/2024

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