GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday permitted the Government of Assam to suspend the eviction of residences of encroachers inside Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary near here following a submission made by the state government.
The eviction drive which started on November 27 in compliance with an earlier order of the High Court resulted in demolition of 734 residential structures during Monday and Tuesday rendering hundreds of encroacher families homeless.
An official source informed that as per chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s direction, Additional Advocate General, Government of Assam, Devajit Saikia on Wednesday morning made a verbal submission before the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Justice Ajit Singh requesting suspension of eviction drive at Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary.
Upon hearing the verbal submission of the Additional Advocate General, the Chief Justice allowed the Government to suspend the eviction drive but directed to continue the same against commercial establishments. The Chief Justice also directed the Assam Government to submit an affidavit on the same at the Gauhati High Court before the court adjourns for the day.
In his verbal submission, the Additional Advocate General informed that as school examinations were going on and winter was intensifying, the government would have to think over the eviction drive. The Chief Minister was also considering the issue of rehabilitation of the evicted people and finalisation of modalities for this would take some time, the Additional Advocate General informed the Chief Justice.
After hearing the Additional Advocate General, the Chief Justice directed the government to submit the affidavit regarding suspension of the eviction.
Meanwhile, 12-hour Assam bandh called by the Coordination Committee of Tribal Association (CCTA) in Assam in protest against the ‘inhuman eviction’ of settlers from Amchang Wild Life sanctuary in Assam paralysed life in many parts of eastern and central Assam.