Mukut Deka and 4 Ors v. The State of Assam and 8 Ors

ORDER

16.12.2024 Heard Mr. D. Gogoi, learned counsel for the petitioners, who submits that the petitioners are agriculturalists living on farmlands. However, two stone crusher units have been set up near their land, which has caused various health problems to the persons living in the vicinity of the stone crushers. He also submits that due to the operation of the stone crushers, the trucks and dumpers that are being operated, are destroying the rural road connection that is being used by the petitioners and their families. He accordingly submits that though the petitioners have made representations to the authorities, to shift the Page No.# 4/5 existing stone crusher units from the nearby lands as the same is in violation of the executive order No.6 given under the Assam land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, no decision has been taken by the District authorities till date.

¶2The petitioners' counsel submits that the present writ petition can be disposed of, if a direction is issued to the Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia, to take a decision on the petitioners' representation/complaint within a specified time period.

¶3Mr. R.R. Gogoi, learned counsel for the Forest Department and Mr. M. Chetia, learned counsel for the District Commissioner submit that as the petitioners' representations are of the year 2018, the petitioners may submit a fresh representation to the Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia, with regard to their grievance. If the same is submitted, a decision can be taken on the same by the Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia.

¶4The petitioners' counsel submits that the petitioners will submit a fresh representation to the Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia with regard to the grievance of the petitioners.

¶5In view of the consent of the parties, the petitioners are given the liberty to submit a fresh representation before the Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia with regard to their grievance. The Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia shall thereafter take a decision on receipt of the petitioners' representation at the earliest and preferably within a period of 5(five) months from the date of receipt of the petitioners' representation. The Page No.# 5/5 Divisional Forest Officer, North Kamrup Division, Rangia should also take a decision, only after giving an opportunity of hearing to the owners of the stone crushers that may be affected by the decision to be taken by him.

¶6The writ petition is accordingly disposed of.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/5 GAHC010155872019 ooooooo 2024:GAU-AS:12738 ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/4850/2019o MUKUToDEKAoANDo4oORS.o S/O-oLToMAHIDHARoDEKA,oR/O-oVILL-oBEZERA,oP.O.oBEZERA,oP.S.oBAIHATA CHARIALI,oDIST-oKAMRUP,oASSAM 2:oROMENoDEKA oS/O-oLToMANIKoDEKA oR/O-oVILL-oBEZERA oP.O.oBEZERA oP.S.oBAIHATAoCHARIALI oDIST-oKAMRUP oASSAM 3:oKAMINIoDEKA oS/O-oLToSARUNATHoDEKA oR/O-oVILL-oBEZERA oP.O.oBEZERA oP.S.oBAIHATAoCHARIALI oDIST-oKAMRUP oASSAM 4:oMARALoDEKA oS/O-oLToGIRIKANTAoDEKA oR/O-oVILL-oBEZERA oP.O.oBEZERA oP.S.oBAIHATAoCHARIALI oDIST-oKAMRUP oASSAM 5:oKANAKoDAS oS/O-oLToDHARANIDHARoDAS oR/O-oVILL-oBEZERA oP.O.oBEZERA oP.S.oBAIHATAoCHARIALI oDIST-oKAMRUP PageoNo.#o2/5 oASSAo VERSUSo THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo8oORS.o REP.oBYoTHEoADDL.oCHIEFoSECY.oTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM,o ENVIRONMENToANDoFORESToDEPTT.,oSACHIVALAYA,oDISPUR,oGHY-6 2:THEoPOLLUTIONoCONTROLoBOARD oASSAM oREP.oBYoITSoMEMBERoSECY. oBAMUNIMAIDAM oGHY-21 3:THEoDY.oCOMMISSIONER oKAMRUP oDIST-oKAMRUP oASSAM 4:THEoDISTRICToLEVELoENVIRONMENToIMPACToASSESSMENTo AUTHORITY oREP.oBYoITSoMEMBERoSECY. oKAMRUPoDIST. oKAMRUP 5:(A)THEoDIVISIONALoFORESToOFFICER oNORTHoKAMRUPoDIVISIONo RANGIA oCHIRAKHUNDI 5:THEoPRINCIPALoCHIEFoCONSERVATORoOFoFORESTo(TERRITORIAL) o(LOWERoASSAM) oPANBAZAR oGHY oDIST-oKAMRUPo(M) oASSAM 6:CHIEFoENVIRONMENTALoENGINEER oREGIONALoOFFICE oPOLLUTIONoCONTROLoBOARD oASSAM oBAMUNIMAIDAM oGHY oASSAM 7:THEoCIRCLEoOFFICER oKAMALPURoREVENUEoCIRCLE oKAMALPUR Page No.# 3/5 ASSAM 8:M/S MBK STONE CRUSHER INDUSTRY REP. BY ITS PROPRIETOR SRI MIHIR CH. DEKA R/O- VILL- BEZERA P.O. BEZERA P.S. BAIHATA CHARIALI DIST- KAMRUP ASSAM PIN- 781121 9:M/S JMB STONE CRUSHER INDUSTRY REP. BY ITS PROPRIETOR SRI JAGADISH KR. DEKA R/O- VILL- BEZERA P.O. BEZERA P.S. BAIHATA CHARIALI DIST- KAMRUP ASSAM PIN- 78112 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. S BORTHAKUR, MR. P K BORAH,MR. J ABBAS Advocate for the Respondent : SC, PCB, MR S DAS,MR R SENSUA,SC, FOREST,GA, ASSAM BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE MICHAEL ZOTHANKHUMA