Gauhati High Court issues notice to Chief Secretary of Assam and others

GUWAHATI: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court headed by Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia issued notices against the Chief Secretary of Assam, the Secretary of the Forest & Environment Department, the Commissioner & Secretary of the Mines and Minerals Department and the Director of Directorate of Geology and Mining, Assam following CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leader Debabrata Saikia approaching the Court under contempt jurisdiction against them.

Debabrata Saikia did file a contempt case (No. 66 of 2021) for wilful non-compliance of a High Court Order which had been passed in a PIL (62 of 2019), whereby the Court directed that a High Power Committee and a Mines and Minerals Task Force Battalion be created to curb illegal mining activities in Assam. The said high power committee was to be constituted to study and recommend measures for preservation of fragile eco-system of the river Dikhow and to take steps to prevent any change of the course of the river Dikhow.

However, even after the lapse of more than a year, the said committee and the Task Force Battalion to circumvent the illegal mining have not been constituted. Consequently, Saikia approached the High Court under contempt jurisdiction and the Division bench headed by Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia on Wednesday issued notices against the State authorities, a press release said.

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