Activist Challenges Hotel Project Near Assam Hatishila Shrine

Guwahati: Activist Satya Ranjan Borah wants Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to stop construction on a hotel project near the Hatishila shrine. The site sits in Chandrapur, just 10 kilometers from Guwahati. Borah claims the ongoing work threatens a centuries-old rock formation that locals worship as Lord Ganesha.

Construction began two or three years ago. Businessman Ismailur Rahman is behind the project, which involves carving up a hilltop directly above the sacred stone. Borah warns that the earthmoving, stone deformation, and large building blocks endanger the site. He insists that developers skipped basic checks. "The developer had failed to furnish an Environmental Impact Assessment report and a soil test report," Borah noted in his letter.

The project site sits inside the eco-sensitive zone of the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. Borah argues that cutting into the hill risks rockfalls that could crush the Ganesha stone. He also fears that sewage and litter from the future resort will ruin the area and spark communal tension. He wants an immediate investigation, proper soil testing, and a clear boundary survey before any more work continues.