Page No.# 1/12 GAHC010022062021 2025:GAU-AS:8710 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/830/2021 SAILEN BORUAH AND 37 ORS S/O. LT. PHANIDHAR BARUA, R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR, PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR, P.O. BHATIAPAR, P.S. SIVASAGAR, PIN-785667, DIST. SIVASAGAR, ASSAM. 2: MAKHAN HAZARIKA S/O. LT. RADHA KANTA HAZARIKA R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 3: RABIN DAS S/O. LT. GUNA DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 4: ANIL DAS S/O. LT. TULASHI DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR Page No.# 2/12 ASSAM. 5: SMT. MINU DAS W/O. LT. PULAK DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 6: SMT. PADMESWARI DAS W/O. LT. PITRAM DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 7: NIJUT DAS S/O. LT. BUDDHI RAM DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 8: GOBINDA CHANDRA DAS S/O. LT. JUNA RAM DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 9: RAMESH DAS S/O. LT. RAJ KUMAR DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR Page No.# 3/12 P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 10: MAHENDRA HAZARIKA S/O. LT. SHIVA RAM HAZARIKA R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 11: SMT. RUNU DAS W/O. SRI NIPEN DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 12: SMT. RUPA DAS W/O. LT. KANAK DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 13: SMT. SENEHI DAS W/O. LT. RAMLAL DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 14: SMT. ANJUMANI DAS W/O. LT. GOPAL DAS Page No.# 4/12 R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 15: DIPANKAR DAS S/O. SRI JIBON DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 16: SMT. PURNIMA DAS @ PURNIMAI DAS W/O. SANDRASHWER DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 17: SMT. BUDHBORI DAS W/O. LT. KOLIA DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 18: LILA RAM HAZARIKA S/O. LT. THAGIRAM HAZARIKA R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. Page No.# 5/12 19: SMT. SUNU DAS W/O. LT. ASHOK DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 20: SMT. BHARATI DAS W/O. LT. RAJKUMAR DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 21: ANATA HAZARIKA S/O. LT. DEBA PRASAD HAZARIKA R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 22: SMT. BIJOYA DAS W/O. LT. SARULARA DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 23: GOPAL DAS S/O. LT. KOLIA DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR Page No.# 6/12 ASSAM. 24: TOKHESHWAR DAS S/O. LT. BANA DAS @ RADHA DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 25: RAMESH DAS S/O. LT. RAJ KUMAR DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 26: NRIPEN DAS S/O. LT. BUDHI RAM DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 27: PRANJAL HAZARIKA @ PITI HAZARIKA S/O. LT. PRADIP HAZARIKA R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 28: SMT. SARUALTI HAZARIKA W/O. LT. MANIKANTA HAZARIKA R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR Page No.# 7/12 PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 29: JINTU DAS S/O. NABA KR. DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 30: KAMAL CHANDRA DAS S/O. LT. SUREN DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 31: JOREN DAS S/O. LT. BHABA DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 32: SMT. BOBI DAS W/O. SRI RATUL DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 33: HIREN CHANDRA DAS S/O. LT. BIYAKH DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR Page No.# 8/12 PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 34: SMT. DHANESWARI DAS W/O. SRI JADAB DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 35: SMT. BANTI DAS W/O. LT. JATIN DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 36: BIPUL CHANDRA DAS S/O. LT. SITARAM DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 37: ANANDA DAS S/O. LT. LAHORI DAS R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM. 38: TILAK CHETRI Page No.# 9/12 S/O. LT. KARNA CHETRI R/O. VILL. RADHIKA NAGAR PURONI PUKHURI AND BHATIAPAR P.O. BHATIAPAR P.S. SIVASAGAR PIN-785667 DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 8 ORS REP. BY THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM, REVENUE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPTT., DISPUR, GUWAHATI-06. 2:THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER AND CHAIRMAN DISTRICT DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (DDMA) SIVASAGAR P.O. P.S. AND DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM PIN-785640. 3:THE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD ASSAM REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN MILANPUR WEST JYOTINAGAR BAMUNIMAIDAN GUWAHATI ASSAM PIN-781004. 4:THE REGIONAL EXECUTIVE ENGINEER POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD MELACHAKAR SIVASAGAR DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM PIN-785640. 5:OIL AND NATURAL GAS CORPORATION LTD. DINDAYAL URJA BHAWAN-5 BELSON MANDELA MARG VASANT KUNJ Page No.# 10/12 NEW DELHI INDIA PIN-110070. 6:THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ONGCL ASSAM ASSET NAZIRA SIVASAGAR DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM PIN-785685. 7:THE ASSET MANAGER ONGCL ASSAM ASSET NAZIRA SIVASAGAR DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM PIN-785685. 8:THE DGM (P) SURFACE AREA MANAGER RDS ONGCL ASSAM ASSET NAZIRA SIVASAGAR DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM PIN-785685. 9:THE INSTALLATION MANAGER R.D.S./G.G.S.-II ONGCL ASSAM ASSET NAZIRA SIVASAGAR DIST. SIVASAGAR ASSAM PIN-785685 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. P J SAIKIA, MR. P BORDOLOI Advocate for the Respondent : SC, PCB, MR B CHOUDHURY (R-5 TO 9),GA, ASSAM,SC, REVENUE Page No.# 11/12 BEFORE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN DEV CHOUDHURY ORDER 26-06-2025 1. Heard Mr. P. Bordoloi, learned counsel for the petitioners and Ms. N. Bordoloi, learned Standing counsel, Revenue & Disaster Management Department for the respondent Nos.1 & 2. Also heard Mr. S. Baruah, learned State counsel for the respondent Nos. 3 & 4 and Mr. B. Choudhury, learned Standing counsel, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGCL) for the respondent Nos. 5 to 9. 2. The petitioners, who are the residents of Rupohi Pathar (Rupohi Beel) area in the district of Sivasagar, Assam, claim to be depended primarily on cultivation and raring of fish firming and domestic animals for supporting their livelihoods, have alleged that due to pilferage of the pipelines of the ONGCL, Assam Asset transmitting oil from the RDS Oil Field-I to CTF (Central Task Farm), Galeki, encompassing the aforementioned locality, got highly polluted and according to them, same resulted in damage to their cultivation and the petitioners are not in a position to do cultivation or rare fish. Accordingly, the petitioners have filed this writ petition. 3. The ONGCL, i.e., the respondent Nos. 5 to 9, have filed an affidavit-in-opposition and they have admitted that there were spillage and on receipt of notice of spillage, the ONGC issued a Notification of Award dated 30.05.2017 to their Contractors for urgent cleaning job of line leakage affected land in Rupahi Beel and Radhika Nagar villages of Rudrasagar area. According to them, leaking oil dispatch line from RDS GGS-II to feeder line of Lakwa CTF was isolated w.e.f. 11.07.2017 and oil dispatch through it had been completely stopped and the pipeline was flushed with water. Moreover, a new dispatch line from RDS GGS –II to GGS-I had been laid bypassing the existing oil spillage area and it was commissioned on 13.07.2017 as a substitute to dispatch crude oil and it is their Page No.# 12/12 stand that since then, no leakage from the said pipeline has been noticed till date. 4. It is their further stand that loses and damages were assessed and an Assessment Report was provided by the District Disaster Management Authority vide communication dated 30.10.2017. Subsequently, compensations were disbursed to the effected persons in three installments, amounting to Rs. 20,95,940/-, Rs. 4,53,470/- and Rs. 13,17,628/- respectively, totaling an amounting to Rs. 38,67,038/-. It is also their stand that on the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, Sivasagar, joint verification was carried out by the ONGCL, the Pollution Control Board, the State Revenue Department, the Public Health Engineering Department and the Agriculture Department of the State and a report was submitted in this regard. 5. The observation of the said Committee, which is a part of the record, is quoted herein below:- “8.0 Observations: (i) The team observed that the locations where remaining oil was observed during the joint inspection of the site by the team comprising of officials of ONGC HSE Department and Pollution Control Board, Assam on 6th January 2020 have been cleared of the spilled crude oil.” 6. In view of the aforesaid, this Court is of the considered opinion that no cause of action survives for the petitioners to continue with this writ petition. Accordingly, this writ petition stands closed. However, the petitioners shall be at liberty to approach this Court/appropriate forum, in the event, any spillage continues and/or occurs damaging their cultivations. JUDGE Comparing Assistant