GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court of India has raised serious concerns regarding the poor living conditions at the Matia Transit Camp in Assam, where individuals identified as foreign nationals are detained.
Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A.G. Masih chaired a court session where they described the circumstances as "far from being satisfactory," citing a report from the State Level Services Authority (SLSA) that revealed significant deficiencies in essential amenities.
During the proceedings, Justice Oka underscored the poor condition of the camp, stating, "There is no facility in place. No vocational training center, no distance education. A female doctor is not available."
Concerning these alarming state of affairs, the apex court has directed the Secretary of the relevant Assam government department to conduct an urgent inspection of the transit camp.
For individuals declared foreign nationals under the Foreigners Act of 1946, the Matia Transit Camp, located in Goalpara district is considered India's largest detention facility.
The facility covers approximately 20 bighas (about 28,800 square feet) and was constructed for Rs 46.51 crore. It consists of 15 buildings, including two designed specifically for women with a total capacity of 3,000 individuals, including provisions for 400 female detainees.
As of November 2024, the camp houses 224 detainees, including 210 Muslims and 14 Hindus, with 36 children among them.
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