Dhirendra Nath Santra And ANR. v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

Item- A149.

15-06-2026 WPA 21457 of 2025 Dhirendra Nath Santra & Anr.

Ct. 19

Versus

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

sg Mr. Sarbananda Sanyal Mr. Samrat Chakraborty ...for the petitioners Mr. Nilanjan Bhattacharjee Ms. Jayita Dhar Chakraborty ...for the State Mr. Chittapriya Ghosh Mr. Priyanka Saha ...for the respondent no.6 The petitioners allege that the private respondents have filled up the water body illegally.

Mr. Sanyal, learned Advocate appearing for the petitioners submits that the petitioners have submitted a representation before the Sub-Divisional Officer, Balurghat by a letter dated 24th April, 2025 requesting the authority to restore the water body to its original condition. Mr. Ghosh, learned Advocate appearing for the respondent no.6 denies the allegation made by the petitioners. He submits that there are private disputes between the petitioners and the private respondents with regard to drawing of water supply lines to their respective portions of their house from the said pond. He further submits that the private respondents have not filled up any portion of the water body. Heard Mr. Bhattacharjee, learned Senior Standing Counsel.

Since the allegation of illegal filling up of water body has been made, it is the duty of the respondent authorities to take a decision of such complaint. Without entering into the merits of the claim made

by the petitioners in the representation dated 24th April, 2025, this writ petition stands disposed of by directing the Assistant Director of Fisheries, Purba Mednipur, being the third respondent, to consider the representation dated 24th April, 2025 and to dispose of the same by passing a reasoned order after affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners, the private respondents and any other persons who may be affected by such decision or their authorized representatives and to communicate the said reasoned order to the petitioners and the others immediately thereafter.

The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible but preferably within a period of eight weeks from the receipt of a server copy of the order along with a copy of the representation dated 24th April, 2025. Urgent Photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance of all requisite formalities.

(Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, J.)