Gauhati High Court issues notices to Assam, Nagaland in petition on flood damage

The Gauhati High Court has issued notices to the governments of Assam and Nagaland, along with other relevant authorities, demanding detailed affidavits pertaining to the devastating floods that struck eastern Assam in July. The petition was filed by Congress leader and former MLA from Nazira, Debabrata Saikia, on August 17. Flash floods, triggered by extreme rainfall along the Assam-Nagaland border, caused extensive damage in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and Golaghat districts.

The court observed that Saikia's concerns raised in a public interest litigation (PIL) were genuine and noted his ongoing pursuit of the issue of illegal mining in the Dikhow River for the past eight years. Saikia's petition seeks judicial scrutiny into the factors contributing to the floods, including alleged illegal mining in the Dikhow riverbed, activities in Nagaland's catchment areas, and water release from upstream dams.

He accused the authorities of ignoring judicial orders and administrative inaction despite earlier warnings. The High Court had previously directed measures against illegal mining and the formation of a dedicated Mines and Minerals Task Force Battalion in 2019, which remained unimplemented. Saikia alleges that the failure to address these issues weakened the river's protective features and exacerbated the flooding.

The court emphasized the need to examine the reasons behind recurring floods and the measures taken by authorities to prevent such incidents.