Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Illegal sand mining continues to tear through the Kopili river near the picnic spot in Assam’s East Kamrup Forest Division. This extraction happens daily. It ignores the state government’s hardline crackdown on unauthorized mineral harvesting.
DI vans and other heavy vehicles haul sand away from the riverbed at all hours. The operation sits just a short distance from the Rani Range Forest Office. Locals say the activity has dragged on for a long time without any real intervention from the forest department.
Some residents pointed fingers at the officials tasked with protecting the land. They claim operators have continued the activity by “managing” officials of the local forest office through regular payments. These claims remain unverified by Northeast Now.
Environmental observers warn of lasting damage. Unchecked dredging threatens the river’s ecology and speeds up bank erosion. Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah recently ordered his staff to take stringent action against all illegal mining and transport of minor minerals. Locals now demand an immediate investigation to stop the damage to their environment.
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