The Gauhati High Court has summoned Assam’s Principal Secretary of the Home and Political Department and the Director General of Police (DGP) to appear in person on February 14 regarding a significant delay in filing an affidavit about illegal coal mining activities in the Dehing Patkai region. The officials may avoid appearing in court if they submit the required affidavit by February 13.
This action follows a 22-month delay in responding to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL 29/2020), which challenges the diversion of 98.5 hectares of forest land in the Saleci Proposed Reserve Forest for Coal India’s Tilok Open Cast Project. The PIL also seeks to declare the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve and surrounding areas as ecologically fragile, upgrade nearby forests to wildlife sanctuaries, and initiate an investigation into the involvement of Coal India Ltd. and the Forest Department.
Despite multiple court reminders, the Assam Home Department and police have not filed their affidavits. The court emphasized that preventing illegal mining is the responsibility of both the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Assam Government.
In prior hearings, the court learned that while Coal India Ltd. had halted operations in the reserve forest, illegal mining by other entities persisted. The failure of state authorities to provide updates has led the court to consider contempt proceedings against the involved officials.
The court warned that failure to comply with the affidavit directive could result in serious consequences. Assam’s Additional Senior Advocate, P. Sarmak, has been tasked with ensuring the order is communicated promptly to the concerned officials.
