Guwahati: The All Dimasa Students Union, Dima Hasao district committee, has demanded immediate government intervention to stop rampant, unregulated riverbed mining. The union submitted a formal complaint to the Chief Conservator of Forests in Haflong. Extraction of sand, gravel, stone, and boulders is tearing up the Diyung, Mahur, Langting, and Jatinga rivers. Heavy machinery is the problem. Excavators and JCBs are ripping through active river channels, destroying aquatic habitats and eroding banks.
Rural residents face dire consequences. Groundwater is drying up, and gravity-fed drinking water sources are disappearing. The union claims these losses threaten traditional fishing and local agriculture. ADSU cited the Assam Minor Mineral Concession Rules of 2013, Supreme Court rulings in the Deepak Kumar versus State of Haryana case, and National Green Tribunal mandates to bolster their claim. They want all operators without valid leases, approved plans, or environmental clearances shut down immediately.
The group demands a joint ground inspection and audit featuring the Forest Department, the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, the district administration, local representatives, and ecological experts. They also proposed the scientific demarcation of bridge buffers and erosion-prone stretches as permanent no-go zones. The union warned officials they have 15 days to act. "If no action is taken within the stipulated period, it may launch a democratic agitation and approach the Eastern Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal seeking judicial intervention," the union stated.
Updated at 25th September 2026 at 9:53pm
ADSU leaders Arught Kemprai and Suraj Naiding signed the memorandum, flagging risks to critical transport corridors including NH-27 and local railway lines. The union warned that mechanized scooping destabilizes banks, which triggers landslides near human settlements. They also noted that destruction of breeding beds is wiping out native fish species, including endangered varieties, while violating the region's protected status under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
The union specifically pointed to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957 and the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986 as the legal basis for their demand. They are calling for authorities to impound all unauthorized heavy machinery immediately and include local student representatives in the proposed joint verification task force.
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