Deepor Beel issue: Gauhati High Court seeks report from GMDA & PWD

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam directed the GMDA (Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority) and the state PWD to file their affidavits on behalf of the responsible officer specifying whether any earth filling is going on in the Deepor Beel area and, if such earth filling is going on, whether necessary permission from the respective department(s) has been obtained or not.

The bench said this while hearing a PIL (18/2023) on July 29, 2024.

The PIL was filed by Pramod Kalita and two others, raising various issues, including the challenges faced in the protection of Deepor Beel. On behalf of the state government, its senior advocate, D. Nath, submitted that the survey for the demarcation of high flood levels (HFL) in the six villages falling within the Deepar Beel area has been completed in respect of four villages, namely, Paschim Jalukbari, Dakhin Jalukbari, Tetalia, and Paschim Boragaon. However, such a survey in respect of two villages, namely, Maj Jalukbari and Uttar Jalukbari, could not be completed due to the inundation of some of the areas in the said two villages. He further submitted that the survey in the remaining two villages would be completed within a week and the report would be finalised within 10–15 days. He prays for some time to file an affidavit on this aspect.

The bench granted time to the senior government advocate to file an affidavit along with the survey report regarding high flood levels in the six villages falling within the Deepor Beel area by August 12, 2024, when it will hear the PIL.

 Also Read: Guwahati: Deepor Beel faces environmental crisis amid government and private activities (sentinelassam.com)

Also Watch: