STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court directed the Assam government to provide drinking water, sanitation facilities and basic medical services to hundreds of families living in temporary camps after authorities evicted them from their homes in the Hashila Beel area of Goalpara district in June 2025.
During the hearing of the writ petition (WP(C)/888/2026) by Justice Devashis Baruah, the petitioners contended that large-scale evictions carried out on June 16, 17 and 18, 2025 forced 566 families to take shelter on a compact plot of patta land belonging to some other persons, where they have been living without potable water, sanitation, adequate food or proper medical care for over eight months. The court issued a notice returnable on March 11, 2026, and directed the respondents to file affidavits by March 9.
Altogether, 60 petitioners jointly filed the writ petition alleging that the evictions carried out on June 16, 17 and 18, 2025 in the Hashila Beel area of Goalpara district, on the ground that the land formed part of the wetland known as Hashila Beel, contravened the law laid down by the Supreme Court in various judgments. They also alleged that the large-scale eviction led to a humanitarian crisis, resulting in deaths and suffering among people residing in makeshift camps since their eviction. The petitioners sought various directions in the writ petition, including the institution of a judicial inquiry into the eviction drive.
In its observation, the court stated, “The right to life includes the right to live with dignity, the right to potable water, the right to sanitation, as well as the right to basic medical facilities. This Court is also of the opinion that under the Act of 2013, benefits are to be provided to eligible persons.”
The court passed the following directions, which the respondent authorities must comply with forthwith, pending notice:
(i) Respondent Nos. 2 (Commissioner and Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department), 3 (District Commissioner, Goalpara), 4 (Circle Officer, Balijana Revenue Circle) and 10 (Executive Engineer, PHE Division, Goalpara) shall jointly ensure the provision of proper potable water facilities in the area where the petitioners and other families are residing. Respondent Nos. 4 and 10 shall jointly assess the situation and take necessary action.
(ii) Respondent Nos. 3 and 9 (District Food and Civil Supplies Officer) shall jointly ensure that the fair price shops concerned maintain adequate rations for the ration cards tagged under the Act of 2013 and that food grains are duly supplied upon production of valid ration cards.
(iii) Respondent No. 7 (Joint Director of Health Services, Goalpara) shall ensure that the Primary Healthcare Centre situated in and around the area provides basic medical facilities to the petitioners and other affected families.
(iv) Respondent Nos. 3 and 4 shall explore avenues for setting up a proper temporary sanitation mechanism so that the petitioners and other families residing on the compact plot of patta land can use it.
This Court further directed the respondents herein to bring on record their stand by filing the affidavits on or before March 9, 2026, the next date of hearing. In the affidavit to be filed by the District Commissioner, Goalpara, there has to be special mention as to whether the petitioners are being provided the basic necessities of life, the order stated.
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