Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, and other parties of the state government in connection with a PIL (64/2024) filed by the petitioners, Mahesh Deka and two others, essentially raising a grievance that the state agencies have decided to construct two arms, i.e., Tayabullah Road (390 m) and West Dighalipukhuri Road (250 m), connecting the under-construction elevated corridor/road on GNB Road from the RBI office in Ambari to FCI Godown in Noonmati.
It is contended that on account of the construction of the above-referred two arms, the old trees, aged about 100 years or more, in and around the Dighalipukhuri pond are required to be felled down, which may be detrimental to the environment and eco-system as a whole. It is contended that those hundred-year-old trees are symbols of heritage and, therefore, should be protected at any cost.
Assam Advocate General D. Saikia, appearing for the State of Assam, informed this Court that ‘the matter is under active consideration of the State Government, and the Hon’ble Chief Minister as well as the CMO office have already assured that the government is trying to find out a possible alternative for the upcoming GNB flyover in order to avoid West and East Dighalipukhuri Road and to avoid felling of the said heritage trees in the area’.
The state advocate general has placed on record photocopies of two posts on social media, one by the Chief Minister, Assam, and another by the Chief Minister’s office.
“Be that as it may, as the issue raised in this PIL petition is of great importance, we deem it appropriate to issue notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Assam; the Special Chief Secretary, Environment and Forest Department; Commissioner and Secretary, Public Works (Roads) Department; and the Pollution Control Board, Assam for the time being.”
Meanwhile, as Advocate General Assam prayed, the court granted some time to file a counter to the writ petition on behalf of respondent state government respondents. The bench listed the PIL for its next hearing on November 13, 2024.
Also Read: Assam: Allow PWD a few days to explore an alternative, urges CM on tree felling
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