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On Thursday, the Gauhati High Court issued an order to Centre, state, Coal India and other stakeholders against coal mining in Dehing Patkai forest which is also called the Amazon of the east after taking up suo moto action.
Chief Justice Ajay Lamba along with Justice Soumitra Saiki issued the notice after hearing two PILs which was filed by some advocates and a mountaineer. 20th of July is the next date of hearing for the suo moto and two other PILs.
The PIL of lawyer Mrinmoy Karmakar and mountaineer who were represented by advocates D K Das and Rakhee S Chowdhury stated that the court has not combined the three PILs as of now.
The state counsel addressed that mining was prohibited from 2019 but CIL mined without permission for over 16 years. Apart from that mining activity was carried out in 16 hectares in addition to the 57.2 hectares of land which was informed stated Ms Chowdhury as saying by a news agency PTI.
Another PIL which was filed by Advocate Santanu Borthakur and Vikram Rajkhowa sought in their petition to declare it as a heritage site under Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The PIL was namely filed against the Centre’s conditionally allowing Coal India to mine inside Dehning Patkai forest addressing that it violates the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
It stated that the forest has significant ecological and cultural value to the people of Assam and it is home to many endangered species.
The Standing committee of NBWL under the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change allowed the CIL’s proposal with a condition that they abide by 28 guidelines provided. The All Assam Students' Union along with Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and other civil society groups besides students, teachers, activist and environmentalist are also protesting against this.
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