Guwahati water logging issue: HC fines 4 Govt depts

In a significant development as far as addressing the water logging in Guwahati is concerned, the Gauhati High Court has pulled up 4 departments of the Assam Government for failing to file an affidavit before the Court within 10 days of the stipulated time.

Not only this the Court has also fined the 4 departments.

The Court ruling came after it heard a PIL filed by an NGO, wherein it was mentioned that the water logging issues has been persisting in the Assam capital city since very long. The bench of Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kardak Ete was hearing the PIL filed by the Northeast Eco Development Society and had sought a response on behalf of the State of Assam through the Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, Assam, Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Chief Executive Officer Assam State Disaster Management Authority and the Divisional Forest Officer, Kamrup Division.

However, the aforesaid departments could not file their response or a counter-affidavit with a response to the writ petition.

Reports mentioned that the court on June 3 had noticed that the petitioner had raised a serious issue regarding water logging in the city that has been persisting for a long time.

It reportedly appeared to the court that the departments are not bothered about resolving the problem of water logging in the Guwahati city, since they could not file the response despite being given a time period of 10 days.

However, in the interest of justice, the court granted one more oppurtunity to the aforesaid departments to file their responses to the PIL, subject to the condition that each department is to pay a cost of Rs 1000 only with the Gauhati High Court Legal Services Authority. The court listed the matter next on July 19.