India, July 30 -- The Gauhati High Court has asked Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram to form a high-level committee to clear encroachments in forest areas along the inter-state borders of the four northeastern states.

The court on Tuesday was hearing a petition filed in 2018 by Asom Basaok, a Guwahati-based NGO, and another petition in 2023 by two residents of Sreebhumi district, seeking removal encroachments from forest areas of Assam.

"Convene a high-level meeting of the chief secretaries and chiefs of forest departments of each of the states as well as other relevant stakeholders for formulating a comprehensive plan for making the forest area encroachment free," a HC bench comprising chief justice Ashutosh Kumar and jus...