The Guwahati High Court stated that the right to life includes the right to live with dignity, and directed the Assam government to provide basic facilities to families living in makeshift camps since they were evicted from the wetland area eight months ago.
The court was hearing a petition filed by 60 people affected by the eviction drive carried out by the Assam government in June last year as part of a drive to rid government lands and forests of illegal settlers.
During the three-day campaign in Hashila Beel, a wetland area in Goalpara district, 566 families who were staying on plots of land owned by others were evacuated.
“This court is of the view that the right to life includes the right to live with dignity, the right to drinkable water, the right to sanitation, as well as the right to basic medical facilities. This court also holds that under the National Food Security Act, 2013, the benefits are to be provided to eligible persons,” Justice Devashis Baruah said in an order issued on Wednesday.
The court ordered the responsible authorities to ensure the provision of adequate drinking water facilities in the area where the petitioners reside with other families. It was also directed to provide adequate rations to eligible persons in fair price shops and provide them with food grains.
“Respondent No. 7 (Joint Director of Health Services) is directed to ensure that the primary health center located in and around the area where basic medical facilities are provided to the petitioners as well as other evacuated families,” the order, seen by HT, said.
The court ordered the district authorities to create “suitable temporary sanitation mechanism so that the petitioners and other families residing on the said merged plot of land can use the same.”
The court ordered all 10 government departments named as respondents to file affidavits on their position on or before March 9.
“In these affidavits special reference must be made to whether the petitioners are getting the basic necessities of life which form part of the right to life,” the order said.
The petitioners said that for more than eight months after the eviction, 566 families have been living in extreme poverty. There is no access to potable water, sanitation, food or proper medical care.
They stated in their petition that due to the large-scale evacuation, a humanitarian crisis has occurred leading to deaths and suffering among people.
