GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to submit a detailed report on steps taken to curb rampant hill cutting in Guwahati and its surrounding areas.
ALSO READ: Gauhati High Court Reviews Govt’s Anti-Quackery Measures Against Fake Doctors in Assam
The order was issued on Monday, March 17, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the city’s artificial flood problem. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N Unni Krishnan Nair passed the order in response to a petition filed by the North East Eco Development Society.
In response, the Assam government submitted an affidavit outlining its ongoing initiatives to address the issue, as the Urban Affairs Department informed the court that a consultancy firm has been engaged to develop a GIS-based comprehensive drainage master plan for Guwahati.
A topographical survey and an inventory of stormwater drains are also in progress, along with the preparation of a detailed project report for the Bahini River.
Additionally, Senior advocate Kamal Nayan Choudhury, serving as amicus curiae, presented recommendations from a former CEO of the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). The suggestions included a three-year restriction on building permissions in low-lying areas until flooding issues are resolved, ensuring all reserved forest areas in greater Guwahati remain free from encroachment, and conducting a survey of land beyond the Town and Regional Authority (TRA) jurisdiction to regulate construction activities.
The court took note of these recommendations and instructed the Assam government to incorporate them into its flood mitigation strategy. Highlighting the urgency of the issue, it stated, "Rampant hill cutting must be checked and stopped," and directed the government to report on specific actions taken to prevent hill mining.