Pursuant To Filing Of PIL In Gauhati HC, Assam Govt Brings Out Policy To Rehabilitate People Who Lands Were Lost Due To Flood/ Erosion

The State has informed a Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dulia and Justice Manas Ranjan Pathak that on January 6, the Government had notified its decision to rehabilitate such persons or families who are affected by flood/ erosion.

The development comes in a PIL highlighting various problems faced by the people of Assam, particularly, those inhabiting near the banks of mighty Brahmaputra which causes annual flood.

The plea submitted that this frequent flooding and recurring soil erosion causes huge damage to the properties, throwing the lives of people in to disarray by rendering them homeless and depriving them of their livelihood.

The Petitioners had sought implementation of the long pending Chief Minister's Special Scheme for Rehabilitation of Erosion Affected Families in Assam, 2015.

In response to the plea, the Assam Government submitted that the funds allotted in the earlier Scheme could not be utilised as there was no concrete provision in the earlier guidelines. It also filed an affidavit indicating the details of measures taken by it to give compensation to the persons whose lands have been taken away by the said natural calamities.

The Government has also now come out with the policy titled— Rehabilitation Policy For Erosion Affected Families of Assam, 2020, to rehabilitate the population affected from 2014-15 onwards.

Pursuant thereof, the Petitioner expressed satisfaction as to the provisions of the scheme. Accordingly, the PIL has been closed.

Petitioners were represented by Advocate Debashree Saikia; State represented by Advocate R. Dhar

Case Title: Hema Prava Devi & Anr. v. State of Assam & Ors.

Click Here To Download Order

Read Order