Stating that the right to life includes the right to live with dignity, the Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to provide basic facilities to families who have been living in makeshift camps since they were evicted from a wetland area eight months ago.
The court was hearing a petition filed by 60 people who were affected by an eviction drive carried out by the Assam government in June last year as part of a campaign to rid government land and forests of illegal settlers.
During the drive carried out over three days at Hashila Beel, a wetland area in Goalpara district, 566 families were evicted following which they were residing in plots belonging to others.
"It is the opinion of this court that the right to life includes the right to live with dignity, right to potable water, right to sanitation, as well as right to basic medical facilities. This court is also of the opinion that under the National Food Security Act of 2013, benefits are to be provided to the eligible persons," Justice Devashis Baruah said in an order passed on Wednesday.
The court directed the authorities responsible to ensure that proper potable water facilities are provided in the area where the petitioners along with other families are residing. It also directed that adequate rations are available to eligible persons in fair price shops, and thet they be provided food grains.
{{/usCountry}}The court directed the authorities responsible to ensure that proper potable water facilities are provided in the area where the petitioners along with other families are residing. It also directed that adequate rations are available to eligible persons in fair price shops, and thet they be provided food grains.
{{/usCountry}}"The respondent No. 7 (the joint director of health services) is directed to ensure that the primary healthcare centre situated in and around the area wherein the petitioners’ as well as other families who were evicted is provided the basic medical facilities," the order, which HT has seen, said.
The court directed the district authorities to set up "a proper temporary sanitation mechanism so that the petitioners and other families residing on the said compact plot of land can use the same."
The court directed all the 10 government departments mentioned as respondents to file affidavits regarding their stand on or before March 9.
"In these affidavits there has to be special mention as to whether the petitioners are being provided the basic necessities of life forming part of the right to life," the order mentioned.
The petitioners had said that for more than eight months following the eviction, 566 families have been living in a state of destitution. There is no availability of potable water, sanitation, food or proper medical care.
They stated in their petition that on account of the large-scale eviction, there was a humanitarian crisis leading to deaths and suffering among the people.