GHC Issues Notices to 14 Respondents for Drilling in Dibru-Saikhowa

The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday issued notices to 14 authorities in the presence of the Additional Solicitor General of India, State Government Counsels as well as the Counsel representing Oil India Ltd., to file their responses within 2 weeks against the Impugned EIA notification dated January 16, 2020, which violates the mandate of the public hearing, as well as the Environmental clearance dated May 11, 2020, whereby 7 new Hydrocarbon projects of OIL were cleared in and around the area.

The notice has been issued in case related to granting permission to OIL to drill seven wells inside Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.

The Hon'ble Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court in PIL No. 35/2020 along with IA(c) no. 1578/2020 filed by Sri Mrinmoy Khataniar and another, had issued notice to all the respondents to file their response in this connection and more particularly about the compliance of the orders of the Honble Supreme Court in respect of Bio Diversity Impact Assessment Study.

The sites where permissions have been granted are adjacent to Baghjan well tragedy site.

The GHC bench which comprised of Chief Justice (Acting) N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Manish Choudhury directed the 14 respondents to file their affidavits within two weeks and fixed October 20 as the next date.

The bench considered another PIL filed by another advocate Gautam Uzir along with it as both were filed on the same issue.

Speaking on the issue, the petitioners' advocate Rakhee Sirauthia Chowdhury said, "On the earlier date, the GHC asked the opposing parties to reply to the PIL. However, no one replied except OIL."