Guwahati, February 21 The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to ensure that the families affected by eviction drives in the Goalpara district in June last year are provided with potable water, basic medical and sanitation facilities, and food grains through fair price shops.
It maintained that "the right to life" includes the "right to live with dignity, the right to potable water, the right to sanitation, as well as the right to basic medical facilities".
The order was passed by a bench of Justice Devashish Baruah on a writ petition filed by 60 petitioners affected during the evictions carried out on June 16, 17, and 18, 2025, in the Hashila Beel (wetland) area.
The petitioners claimed that 566 families, including children, have been forced to take refuge in a small plot of land belonging to other individuals.
They alleged that for more than eight months, the affected families, including the petitioners, have been living in a state of destitution, with no access to potable water, sanitation, food, or proper medical care.
It has been claimed that a "humanitarian crisis" has ensued, and the petitioners have sought various directions through the writ petition, including the institution of a judicial inquiry into the eviction drive.
Justice Baruah, after hearing the arguments presented by the petitioner's advocate as well as those of the respondents, said in his order: "It is the opinion of this court that the right to life includes the right to live with dignity, the right to potable water, the right to sanitation, as well as the right to basic medical facilities. This court also believes that under the 2013 Act, benefits are to be provided to eligible persons."
The "2013 Act" refers to the National Food Security Act of 2013.
The court ordered that proper potable water and basic medical facilities be provided to the petitioners along with the other affected families.
It directed the authorities "to explore ways to establish proper temporary sanitation facilities so that the petitioners and other families residing on the said small plot of land can use them".
It also directed that adequate rations, as per the 2013 Act, be made available in the fair price shops linked to the ration cards provided to the affected families, and that food grains be duly provided upon production of ration cards.
The court said that these directions are required to be implemented by the authorities.
It also asked the respondent authorities to submit their stand by filing affidavits on or before March 9.
"In these affidavits, particularly by the district commissioner of Goalpara, there must be a special mention as to whether the petitioners are being provided with the basic necessities of life that form part of the right to life," the order said, fixing the next date of hearing for March 11.