Due legal process followed to allot 3,000 bighas to cement company: Assam govt to Gauhati high court

Guwahati: The process adopted for the allotment of 3,000 bighas of land in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, which falls under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, to a cement company was done “following the due process of law,” state govt submitted before Gauhati HC.

Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi was hearing two petitions — one filed by Sonesh Hojai and 21 others against the state govt and six others, including the cement company, and the other by the cement company against the state govt and 10 others related to the land allocation in Dima Hasao, on Wednesday.While contending before the court that the land was allotted following due process of law, advocate general D Saikia said the aspect of environmental clearance by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change would come at a later stage.Saikia submitted an affidavit was filed before the court, along with an office order of Aug 21 pertaining to the constitution of a “Three Member Committee to cause an inquiry on certain terms of reference” as well as the report of the committee given on Aug 29.The court noted that no inquiry was directed to be done by any order passed by the court. “Be that as it may, in the fitness of things, this court is of the opinion that the petitioners in both the writ petitions should be given a chance to respond to the affidavit filed by state govt,” Justice Medhi said.

The court has directed the affidavits to be filed within three weeks and will hear the matter on Sept 24.On Aug 1, the court directed North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council to produce the original file containing all records regarding the decision. In this, the advocate general produced the records and submitted that a separate affidavit would be filed on behalf of the NCHAC.