Gauhati High Court seeks response to Bar panel's report

The Gauhati High Court has asked the State Government as well as the petitioners in an illegal-mining-related PIL
Gauhati High Court seeks response to Bar panel's report

Alleged illegal mining in Cachar district

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has asked the State Government as well as the petitioners in an illegal-mining-related PIL to study and submit their respective responses to a site-inspection report submitted a two-member committee of the Bar which was constituted earlier by the court.

The court said it will pass necessary order(s) after both sides respond to the contents of the report submitted by the two-member lawyers' committee. The court stated: "In the laboriously prepared report, many factual aspects have been highlighted on which we make no comment at this stage."

During the previous hearing of the case in February this year, the petitioners in the PIL in question had alleged that rampant illegal mining is going on in the banks of the river Madhura in the Cachar district, which is an eco-sensitive area. On the other hand, the counsel for the Forest Department had submitted that no illegal mining is taking place in that area and added that a proposal had already been made by the State Government to declare it as a reserve area. Thereupon, the High Court had constituted a team of two lawyers - Mrinmoy Khataniar and Preetom Mahanta – to visit the area and submit a report to the court. The team was asked to carry out a detailed survey of the area and report as to whether illegal mining is going on in the area, as well as the status of the said area after verifying the allegations of the petitioner along with the contention of the State Government.

In the recent hearing, the court also noted that the State Government was supposed to pay Rs.15,000 each to the members of the lawyers' committee who carried out the site inspection, but the amount has not been paid till date. Therefore, the court directed the Government to clear the dues within a period of one month.

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