Supreme Court directs Assam State Legal Services Authority to conduct surprise visits at Matia transit camp

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Assam State Legal Services Authority to conduct surprise visits at Matia transit camp for foreigners to check the facility's hygiene and food quality etc.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih asked the secretary of State Legal Services Authority to nominate appropriate officers to make visits to the camp without prior notice to the authorities for the purpose of verifying cleanliness.

The top court directed the state legal services authority to file a report after inspection within one month from today.

The matter has been posted for hearing on November 4.

Flagging the "sorry state of affairs" at a detention centre for declared foreigners in Assam, the apex court had on July 26 said that it lacked adequate water supply, proper toilets and sanitation.

The bench, which was hearing a plea concerning the deportation of those who have been declared as foreigners and the facilities provided at the detention centres in Assam, said the report does not speak about the availability of food and medical help.

It had directed the secretary of the Assam State Legal Services Authority to ensure one more visit to ascertain the quantity and quality of the food supplied at the centre, if cleanliness is maintained in the kitchen and existence of medical and recreational facilities.

While hearing the matter on May 16, the apex court had observed that the Centre must take immediate steps for deporting 17 declared foreigners at the detention centre in Matia. It had said that priority should be given to deport four, who have spent more than two years in the detention centre.

The plea has also sought a direction to the Assam government not to detain any person declared a foreigner by a foreigners tribunal until it can show proof of possible deportation in the foreseeable future.