Posted on September 16, 2024
Boko : A wave of mixed reactions has emerged following the temporary ban on government-approved Gohalkona Sand Gravel Mining in Boko. While some residents from Kompaduli and neighbouring villages have protested against the mining activities on the Boko River, others argue that the ban has negatively impacted the socio-economic fabric of the area.
The protesters claim that sand gravel mining has caused pollution in the Boko River, leading to a noticeable decline in the water level. They allege that this has adversely affected local agriculture and the environment. However, not everyone shares this sentiment. Some villagers, like Jitu Rabha from Kothalpara, argue that the ban has disrupted the livelihoods of over 800 people who depend directly or indirectly on mining for their income. “With the ban in place, government construction projects, including roads and buildings, have come to a halt,” he pointed out.
The Gohalkona Sand Gravel Mining site falls under the Singra Forest Range of the Kamrup West Division. Bhargabh Hazarika, the Ranger of Singra Forest, emphasized that this is the only government-permitted mining site in the Kamrup and Goalpara districts. Hazarika also noted that the Forest Department had organized several meetings to address the concerns of the protesters, but they refused to attend.
Protesters have also alleged that the mining operations have led to the deaths of two people. However, Bishnu Rabha from Lepgaon village refuted these claims. He explained that a 16-year-old boy drowned on September 4, 2024, while swimming with friends, not due to mining but because he lacked swimming skills. The villagers regularly cross the river at that location, where no mining activities had occurred. Similarly, Ajay Rabha from Kothalpara suggested that another man, Uday Sarania, who drowned on May 17, 2024, likely lost his life because he ventured into a deep part of the river late in the evening.
An anonymous resident of Kothalpara village claimed that the region, located near the Assam-Meghalaya border, is being stirred by external forces. The villager alleged that some supporters from Meghalaya living in Assam are inciting locals to halt the mining operations in an attempt to disrupt the area’s peace and socio-economic stability. These individuals, the villager claimed, are profiting from illegal horticulture activities, including areca nut and rubber plantations, by clearing forest land. “If the government-sanctioned mining stops, they will resume illegal mining, and the government will lose substantial revenue,” the anonymous villager added.
Jitu Rabha also accused Aniruddha Das, president of Lepgaon village, of inconsistency. According to Rabha, Das granted permission for mining and transportation of sand gravel on March 2, 2023, but then met with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 8, 2024, to advocate for the cessation of Gohalkona Sand Mining.
Singra Forest Range Officer Bhargabh Hazarika further disclosed that on February 11, 2024, the Forest Department filed an FIR at Boko Police Station against Aniruddha Das, Rahul Sarania, and others for illegal mining activities. When the forest team attempted to intervene, they were verbally abused, and a female forest staff member was nearly assaulted. Hazarika asserted that these same individuals are now leading efforts to shut down the government-approved mining operations.
Bishnu Rabha from Lepgaon village stated that formal applications have been submitted to the Boko Circle Office, DFO West Kamrup, Singra Forest Range, and Boko Police Station, seeking the resumption of sand gravel mining and calling for action against those responsible for inciting unrest in the area.
Meanwhile, Jamson A. Sangma, vice president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s Minority Department, along with the Garo Students’ Union (GSU) and other groups, met with the Kamrup (rural) DC and submitted a memorandum seeking closure of Gohalkona Sand Mining.
