Supreme Court's Green Panel Raises Alarm Over Illegal Mining Near Kaziranga

Concerns Over Illegal Mining Activities

New Delhi, June 4: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), a green watchdog established by the Supreme Court, has expressed serious concerns regarding ongoing illegal mining in the Parkup Pahar region adjacent to Kaziranga National Park. This comes despite a Supreme Court ruling from 2019 that prohibited all mining activities in the park's eco-sensitive zones.

Following a complaint from an anonymous employee of the Assam government and subsequent verification, the CEC submitted a report to the Supreme Court on May 30, indicating that mining operations have not only persisted but have also escalated since the court's ban on April 4, 2019.

The report highlighted that illegal mining is rampant, especially in the Parkup Pahar Range, which is designated as a wildlife sanctuary and forms the southern boundary of Kaziranga National Park.

The complaint, lodged in December 2024, included Google Earth images from 2019 to 2023, revealing that mining activities, which had ceased after the 2019 ban, resumed and intensified post-2021.

The CEC has referred the complaint to the Assam forest and police departments for a factual report.

On February 5, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in Assam provided a comprehensive report detailing the measures taken, including the suspension of mining leases.

This report confirmed that stone mining is taking place near the Borjuri Waterfall and its adjacent streams, which flow towards Kaziranga.

Moreover, the CEC noted that the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) has issued new permissions for numerous mines in forested areas and proposed eco-sensitive zones, contravening the Supreme Court's ban.

These permissions were granted without the necessary approvals from the National Board for Wildlife's standing committee and the Central government as mandated by the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

The committee emphasized that KAAC lacks the authority to issue such mining permissions.

The CEC has called for an immediate cessation of all mining and related activities in the Parkup Pahar area and its forested catchments, along with a halt on new lease grants.

It has also directed KAAC to prepare a detailed watershed drainage analysis report to accurately define the catchment area and eco-sensitive streams leading into Kaziranga.

Additionally, the CEC suggested that the Assam government consider approaching the Gauhati High Court to review its recent orders permitting mining in certain instances, as the court was not made aware of the Supreme Court's 2019 directives.

Lastly, the committee instructed KAAC to submit quarterly status reports via the Chief Secretary of Assam and urged the Director General of Police and the Superintendent of Police in Karbi Anglong to take prompt and effective measures to prevent any illegal mining or mineral transportation from the area.