Dibrugarh Residents Demand Action Against Illegal Mining Linked to Floods

Community Calls for Accountability in Flood Crisis

Dibrugarh, Aug 5: The Dibrugarh Zila Nagarik Sanmilan has presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India via the district administration, urging the identification and punishment of individuals allegedly involved in illegal mining activities. The organization claims these activities have significantly contributed to the severe flooding in Upper Assam.

The memorandum was delivered to district development commissioner Nandita Baruah by key members of the Sanmilan, including president Sarat Chandra Neog and general secretary Uttam Kumar Chetia.

The Sanmilan asserts that the recent catastrophic floods impacting regions such as Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Nazira were not merely due to natural phenomena like heavy rainfall or cloudbursts, but were largely exacerbated by human actions.

According to the memorandum, while Mon district in Nagaland faced substantial rainfall, the extraordinary flooding in Upper Assam was intensified by years of unregulated open-cast coal mining in Nagaland's hills, extensive extraction of sand and stone from the Dikhow River, and significant deforestation associated with these practices. The organization claims that these illegal mining operations have disrupted the ecological balance of the area.

The Sanmilan further contends that unregulated coal mining has created large pits in the hills, which fill with water and form artificial reservoirs. During heavy rains, landslides from unstable slopes reportedly cause these reservoirs to overflow, leading to increased flooding downstream.

Despite numerous complaints from local residents to authorities, the organization alleges that no substantial action has been taken, citing the involvement of influential figures, including some public officials, in these illegal mining activities.

The memorandum references two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed with the Gauhati High Court by former MLA Debabrata Saikia, claiming that administrative intervention has failed to yield results. Although the High Court directed the state government to address the alleged illegal activities, the organization claims these directives have not been effectively enforced.

Along with the memorandum, the organization submitted copies of the two PILs and additional supporting documents.

The Sanmilan has called on the Central government to form a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the alleged involvement of illegal mining networks in the floods and ensure accountability for those responsible. They also demand that the recent floods be classified as a 'national disaster.'

Furthermore, the memorandum raises concerns about the under-construction 186 MW Dikhu Hydroelectric Project on the Dikhou River in Mon district, suggesting it may have contributed to the flooding. The organization has urged the government to suspend not only the Dikhou project but also other major hydroelectric initiatives in the nearby hilly areas bordering Assam, arguing that without proper reviews and preventive measures, these projects could pose significant risks to the state’s future.

The organization has appealed to the Prime Minister for an impartial investigation into the flood causes and for immediate actions to prevent similar disasters in the future.