Gauhati High Court
X X X X vs In Re - The Union Of India And 7 Ors on 20 July, 2020
Author: Ajai Lamba
Bench: Ajai Lamba, Manish Choudhury
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GAHC010077512020
THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
Case No. : PIL(Suo Moto) 3/2020
1:X X X X
GUWAHATI, ASSAM
VERSUS
1:IN RE - THE UNION OF INDIA AND 7 ORS
REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF MINES, SHASTRI BHAWAN,
DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD ROAD, ROOM NO. 320, A-WING, NEW DELHI -
110001
2:THE STATE OF ASSAM
REPRESENTED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY
GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 781006
3:THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
HOME AND POLITICAL DEPARTMENT
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 781006
4:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF
ASSAM
FOREST AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 781006
5:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR AND HEAD OF FOREST FORCE
ARANYA BHAWAN
PANJABARI
GUWAHATI - 781037
6:THE DIRECTOR
THE DIRECTORATE OF GEOLOGICAL AND MINING DEPARTMENT
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KAHILIPARA
GUWAHATI - 781019
7:COAL INDIA LIMITED
REPRESENTED BY THE CHAIRMAN-CUM-MANAGING DIRECTOR
COAL BHAWAN
PREMISE NO.04 MAR
PLOT NO. AF-III
ACTION AREA-1A
NEWTOWN
RAJARHAT
KOLKATA - 700156
8:THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
DISTRICT - TINSUKIA
ASSAM
PIN - 78612
Counsel for the Petitioner (s) : Mr. D. K. Das, Advocate
Mr. R. S. Choudhury, Advocate.
Mr. T. J. Mahanta, Advocate
A. Barua, Advocate
Mr. T. R. Gogoi, Advocate
Mr. V. Rajkhowa, Advocate
Counsel for the Respondent(s) : Mr. P. N. Goswami, Senior Advocate, Forest Dept.
Mr. B. D. Goswami, Addl. Advocate General, Arunachal Pradesh Mr. Arun Chandran, Addl. Senior Govt. Advocate, Arunachal Pradesh Linked Case : PIL 36/2020 1:BASANTA DEKA S/O. LT. LOKNATH DEKA R/O. KARUNAMOYEE HOUSING APARTMENT M.C. ROAD UZAN BAZAR GUWAHATI-781003.
VERSUS 1:THE UNION OF INDIA AND 5 ORS.
Page No.# 3/10 REP. BY SECRETARY MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (MoEF AND CC) GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI.
2:THE NATIONAL BOARD OF WILD LIFE (NBWL) REP. BY THE CHAIRPERSON MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (MoEF AND CC) GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI.
3:THE STATE OF ASSAM REP. BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY ASSAM SACHIVALAYA DISPUR GUWAHATI-06.
4:THE ASSAM STATE BOARD FOR WILD LIFE (SBWL) REP. BY THE CHAIRPERSON DEPTT. OF ENVIRONMENT GOVT. OF ASSAM ASSAM SACHIVALAYA DISPUR GUWAHATI-06.
5:THE GENERAL MANAGER M/S COAL INDIA LTD. COAL BHAWAN PREMISE NO.004 MAR PLOT NO.AF-III ACTION AREA 1A NEWTON RAJARHAT KOLKATA-7000156.
6:THE GENERAL MANAGER M/S NORTH EASTERN COAL FIELDS LTD. COAL INDIA LTD.
BLACK DIAMOND TOWERS G.S. ROAD GUWAHATI.
Page No.# 4/10 Counsel for the Petitioner (s) : Mr. D. K. Das, Advocate Mr. R. S. Choudhury, Advocate. Mr. T. J. Mahanta, Advocate A. Barua, Advocate Mr. T. R. Gogoi, Advocate Mr. V. Rajkhowa, Advocate Counsel for the Respondent(s) : Mr. P. N. Goswami, Senior Advocate, Forest Dept. Mr. B. D. Goswami, Addl. Advocate General, Arunachal Pradesh Mr. Arun Chandran, Addl. Senior Govt. Advocate, Arunachal Pradesh Linked Case : PIL 29/2020 1:MRINMOY KHATANIAR AND ANR. S/O- LATE BIJOY CH KHATANIAR R/O- NARIKALBARI PATH MT ROAD GUWAHATI- 781024 2: AMAR JYOTI DEKA S/O- LATE BHABENDRA NATH DEKA R/O- H NO. 20 NAMONI PATH KARBI PATH MOTHER TERESA PATH P.O- BAMUNIMAIDAM P.S- GEETANAGAR GHY- 21 ASSAM VERSUS 1:UNION OF INDIA AND 9 ORS REP. BY THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVT OF INDIA MIN OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE INDIRA PARYAVARAN BHAWAN JORBAGH ROAD NEW DELHI- 110003 2:MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE NER OFFICE LAW U SIB Page No.# 5/10 LUMBATNGEN NEAR MTC WORKSHOP SHILLONG- 7930211 3:THE STATE OF ASSAM REP. BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVT OF ASSAM ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST DEPTT DISPUR GUWAHATI- 06 4:THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVT OF ASSAM DISPUR SECRETARIAT COMPLEX GUWAHATI- 06 5:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND HEAD OF FOREST FORCE H BLOCK 2ND FLOOR JANATA BHAWAN DISPUR GUWAHATI- 781006 ASSAM 6:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (WILDLIFE) H BLOCK 2ND FLOOR JANATA BHAWAN DISPUR GUWAHATI- 781006 ASSAM 7:NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILDLIFE REP. BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILDLIFE MIN OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (WILDLIFE DIVISION) 6TH FLOOR VAYU WING INDIRA PARYAVARAN BHAWAN JORBAGH ROAD NEW DELHI- 110003 8:STATE BOARD FOR WILDLIFE REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN DISPUR SECRETARIAT COMPLEX GUWAHATI- 06 Page No.# 6/10 9:COAL INDIA LIMITED COAL BHAWAN PREMISE NO. 04 MAR PLAT NO AF-III ACTION AREA -1A NEW TOWN RAJARHAT KOLKATA- 700156 10:CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER NE COAL FIELDS COAL INDIA LIMITED SUB DIV MARGHERITA DIST- TINSUKIA ASSAM PIN- 786181 Counsel for the Petitioner (s) : Mr. D. K. Das, Advocate Mr. R. S. Choudhury, Advocate. Mr. T. J. Mahanta, Advocate A. Barua, Advocate Mr. T. R. Gogoi, Advocate Mr. V. Rajkhowa, Advocate Counsel for the Respondent(s) : Mr. P. N. Goswami, Senior Advocate, Forest Dept. Mr. B. D. Goswami, Addl. Advocate General, Arunachal Pradesh Mr. Arun Chandran, Addl. Senior Govt. Advocate, Arunachal Pradesh Linked Case : PIL 30/2020 1:VIKRAM RAJKHOWA AND ANR. S/O SRI JYOTI PRASAD RAJKHOWA R/O NARIKAL BARI P.S GEETANAGAR GUWAHATI-781024 DIST. KAMRUP(M) ASSAM 2: SANTANU BARTHAKUR S/O SRI AWANI BARTHAKUR R/O GANESH MANDIR PATH NEW GUWAHATI P.S. NOONMATI Page No.# 7/10 DIST. KAMRUP(M) ASSAM VERSUS 1:THE UNION OF INDIA AND 16 ORS. REP. BY THE SECRETARY MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (MOEF AND CC) GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI 2:THE SECRETARY MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI 3:THE CHAIRPERSON STANDING COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILD LIFE (NBWL) MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI 4:THE CHAIRPERSON NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY AUTHORITY (NBA) MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI 5:THE CHAIRPERSON FOREST ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FAC) MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE GOVT. OF INDIA NEW DELHI 6:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECREATRY ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST DEPTT. GOVT. OF ASSAM SACHIVALAYA DISPUR GUWAHATI-781006 ASSAM 7:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST ARANYA BHAWAN PANJABARI GUWAHATI 8:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER DIGBOI FOREST DIVISION P.O. DIGBOI Page No.# 8/10 DIST. TINSUKIA 9:THE CHAIRPERSON STATE BOARD FOR WILD LIFE (SBWL) ASSAM DEPTT. OF ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST GOVT. OF ASSAM ASSAM SACHIVALAYA DISPUR GUWAHATI-781006 10:THE CHAIRPERSON ASSAM STATE BIODIVERSITY BOARD (ASBB) DEPTT. OF ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST GOVT. OF ASSAM ASSAM SACHIVALAYA DISPUR GUWAHATI-781006 11:THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM MINES AND MINERALS DEPTT. ASSAM SACHIVALAYA DISPUR GUWAHATI-781006 12:THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER TINSUKIA O/O DEPUTY COMMISSIONER BORGURI DIST. TINSUKIA 13:THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE ASSAM ASSAM POLICE HEAD QUARTERS ULUBARI GUWAHATI-781007 14:THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE TINSUKIA O/O THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE BORGURI DIST. TINSUKIA 15:THE STATE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH REP. BY ITS CHIEF SECREATRY ITANAGAR ARUNACHAL PRADESH Page No.# 9/10 16:THE GENERAL MANAGER M/S COAL INDIA LTD. COAL BHAWAN PREMISE NO. 004 MAR PLOT NO. AF-III ACTION AREA-1A NEWTOWN RAJARHAT KOLKATA-700156 17:THE GENERAL MANAGER M/S NORTH EASTERN COALFIELDS COAL INDIA LTD. BLACK DIAMOND TOWER GS ROAD GUWAHATI KAMRUP (M) ASSAM Counsel for the Petitioner (s) : Mr. D. K. Das, Advocate Mr. R. S. Choudhury, Advocate. Mr. T. J. Mahanta, Advocate A. Barua, Advocate Mr. T. R. Gogoi, Advocate Mr. V. Rajkhowa, Advocate Counsel for the Respondent(s) : Mr. P. N. Goswami, Senior Advocate, Forest Dept. Mr. B. D. Goswami, Addl. Advocate General, Arunachal Pradesh Mr. Arun Chandran, Addl. Senior Govt. Advocate, Arunachal Pradesh BEFORE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. AJAI LAMBA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANISH CHOUDHURY 20.07.2020:
(Ajai Lamba, CJ)
1. The Court proceedings have been conducted through Video-Conference.
2. Mr. P. N. Goswami, learned senior counsel appearing for respondent No.4 states that there has been a recent development which is required to be brought to the notice of the Court. An affidavit will be filed within a period of two weeks.
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3. Let the affidavit be filed in the Registry on or before 03.08.2020.
4. In case learned counsel for the petitioner(s) wants to file replication, they may do so on or before 17.08.2020 in the Registry.
5. List on 01.09.2020, high up on the list.
6. Let PIL 29/2020, PIL 30/2020 and PIL 36/2020 be listed together because the issue involved in all these cases appears to be similar.
JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE Comparing Assistant