Former Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly and former Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia has alleged that rampant illegal stone and sand mining in the Dikhow river, coupled with the state’s failure to implement Gauhati High Court directives, is responsible for the extensive flood damage witnessed in Nazira and neighbouring areas this year.
In a social media post accompanied by satellite images, the Congress leader claimed that years of unregulated extraction from the Dikhow riverbed had severely altered the river’s natural course and ecological balance, making it more susceptible to flooding and erosion.
Saikia described the Dikhow, historically referred to as the “Vashistha Ganga”, as a river whose flow was naturally controlled by stones acting as barriers. He alleged that large-scale removal of these stones has widened and shallowed the river, increasing the intensity of floods during the monsoon.
He further claimed that despite repeated complaints, illegal mining continued unchecked because of the influence of those involved in the trade.
Referring to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 62/2019) filed before the Gauhati High Court, Saikia said he had sought judicial intervention against illegal riverbed mining and mineral smuggling. According to him, the petition had warned that continued extraction from the Dikhow could alter the river’s course and increase the risk of floods and erosion in Nazira and Sivasagar.
The Congress leader said the Gauhati High Court, in an order dated October 21, 2019, directed the Assam government to constitute a dedicated Mines and Minerals Task Force Battalion under the Department of Mines and Geology to curb illegal mining. The court had also recommended the formation of a high-powered committee to protect the river ecosystem and prevent changes in the river’s course.
However, Saikia alleged that the state government failed to implement these directions, prompting him to file a contempt petition in 2021. Instead of creating a separate task force, the government later informed the court that the existing forest department machinery was sufficient to tackle illegal mining.
He also claimed that engineers of the Water Resources Department had raised similar concerns. Citing an inspection conducted on January 12, 2022, near Bamunpukhuri Tea Estate by the Assistant Executive Engineer of the Nazira Water Resources Sub-Division, Saikia alleged that officials had warned continued extraction of stone and sand could alter the Dikhow’s course and threaten nearby settlements.
Saikia said he repeatedly highlighted the issue in the Assam Assembly, including during the March 2022 session, and also wrote to the state’s Environment and Forest Minister in June 2024, urging action against illegal mining.
Sharing satellite images comparing the river in 2010 and 2024, he alleged that large stretches of once-green riverbanks had been transformed into deep excavation sites due to unchecked mining activities.
Calling the present flood situation a “man-made disaster”, Saikia alleged that the devastation in Nazira was the result of collusion between the government and illegal mining operators.
The state government has not yet responded to the allegations.
