Fresh plea against riverbed mining in Kaziranga's eco-sensitive zone

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Assam, faces a fresh environmental challenge with a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking a halt to mechanised sand mining in the Deihori River, which flows along its southern boundary. The plea comes seven years after the Supreme Court imposed a complete ban on mining and related activities in the area.

Mohajon Kro, a resident of Diphu in Karbi Anglong district, filed the petition on August 5 with the NGT and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He alleged that large-scale and mechanised sand mining is being carried out in the Deihori River using excavators, earthmovers and dumpers, causing ecological damage to the river and affecting the Scheduled Tribe population that depends on it.

The hilly Karbi Anglong region, which is governed by a tribal council, forms Kaziranga's southern boundary. These hills serve as a refuge for rhinos, tigers, deer and other wildlife whenever the national park faces flooding during the monsoon months.

Mr. Kro has sought an immediate halt to mechanised mining pending an investigation into alleged violations of environmental norms. He said local authorities failed to enforce regulatory safeguards governing sand mining and did not monitor extraction activities in Deihori.

"The Deihori River is not merely a source of sand but a living ecosystem that sustains biodiversity, fisheries, groundwater recharge, livestock and daily domestic needs of the local tribal population," he wrote in his petition. He added that indigenous communities have depended on the river for generations for drinking, bathing, washing, irrigation, fishing and cultural practices.

The petition says sand extraction is being carried out against the principles of India's sustainable sand-mining framework, which aims to prevent indiscriminate removal of riverbed material and protect river morphology and aquatic ecosystems. He claimed that heavy machinery destabilised the riverbed, altered its natural course and damaged fish breeding grounds.

The excavation and continuous movement of machinery increased sediment disturbance and water turbidity, affecting water quality for nearby communities. He also raised concerns about potential contamination from diesel, lubricants, grease and hydraulic fluids associated with heavy machinery operating within or near the river.

Mr. Kro named Songja Terang as the lease or permit holder for the Deihori River sand and gravel mahal issued under an order of the Divisional Forest Officer, Karbi Anglong East Division.

He urged the NGT to order an immediate stay on all mechanised sand mining activities in the Deihori River, prohibit entry and operation of heavy machinery within the active river channel, and direct an urgent spot inspection by a joint committee to submit a factual report to the tribunal within a time-bound period.

The Karbi Anglong district authorities are yet to verify the allegations.

A conservationist based in Golaghat district said that riverbed mining in Deihori, along with illegal stone quarrying and hill-cutting in Karbi Anglong, could spell doom for Kaziranga National Park. Many rivers and streams flow into the park from these hills. "It appears that the Supreme Court's April 2019 order has had no impact. If such quarrying and mining continue, Kaziranga could face a disaster more severe than what Sivasagar and Charaideo districts experienced due to stone and coal mining along the Assam-Nagaland border," the conservationist said, requesting anonymity.