Illegal Mining in Kulsi River Threatens Endangered Dolphins

Guwahati: Massive illegal sand mining is tearing through the Kulsi River in Assam. This racket operates right near the Kulsi Range Forest Office in the Kamrup district. Every night, hundreds of trucks haul sand toward Guwahati. Locals watch the fleet leave. The river is a critical home for the endangered Gangetic river dolphin. A 2026 survey counted only 20 of these animals here.

Mining machinery poses a lethal threat to the dolphins. Diesel and oil spills pollute the water. Locals fear the riverbed is shifting. They suspect a major scam involving Electronic Minor Mineral Transit Passes. Drivers claim their sand comes from Ukiam, Meghalaya. But residents in Ukiam say no mining happens there at all.

West Kamrup Forest Division officer Subodh Talukdar admits his team has limited reach. He said, "The department could check the Brown E-TPs carried by sand-laden trucks but was currently unable to independently verify the actual location from where the sand had been extracted." This leaves huge gaps for corruption.

Critics demand to know if the state is losing fees to Meghalaya. They want Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah to step in immediately. Residents are pushing to turn the region into an eco-tourism hub. They argue that protecting the wildlife offers a better future than letting the river die.