Acting on a complaint filed by a resident of Assam before the Supreme Court concerning environmental destruction, including flooding in Guwahati, a committee empowered by the Supreme Court conducted an inspection of the Killing area of Ri-Bhoi.
On Friday the committee members visited various locations in Killing, including the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) and stone quarries in the area, to investigate allegations of environmental degradation through deforestation and excavation activities. This inspection followed a petition filed by Jitul Deka before the Supreme Court, which then appointed the committee to examine the sites reportedly affected by activities such as tree felling and earth excavation.
Speaking to the media today, Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi, Abhilash Baranwal, stated that the district administration deputed a magistrate and police personnel to accompany the committee during the inspection to ensure that law and order were maintained and that there was no disturbance to public peace.
He further explained that the Committee’s visit was aimed at verifying the claims of environmental destruction – specifically deforestation and quarrying – which, according to the complainant, have contributed to flooding in Guwahati.
