Beki, Disang Rivers Under Threat from Relentless Sand Mining

Illegal sand and earth mining activities in the Disang River near Bokota in Sivasagar district have triggered grave concerns among local residents ahead of the upcoming monsoon season. Villagers fear that rampant extraction of sand has dangerously weakened riverbanks, setting the stage for severe erosion and flooding.

Residents of several villages, including Bokota Dihingia and Khamun, have alleged that the mining is being carried out with the tacit support of officials from the forest department, facilitated by large-scale financial dealings with unscrupulous businessmen. According to locals, sand mining machines have been operating openly in the area for the past three to four years, both day and night.

"The government machinery is silent. A section of the ruling party is complicit in this loot," a local villager told reporters, expressing anger and helplessness. “They’ve installed sand mining machines illegally and are relentlessly extracting resources, posing a direct threat to the ecology of the Disang River.”

Villagers also pointed out that artificial embankments and guard walls on both banks of the Disang River have worsened the situation, increasing the risk of erosion. With the riverbanks already compromised due to unscientific mining practices, residents say it is only a matter of time before the river changes course or floods entire settlements during the monsoon.

The role of the forest department and elected representatives has come under sharp scrutiny, with many accusing them of turning a blind eye to the environmental destruction. Despite repeated complaints, no concrete action has been taken to halt the illegal operations.

With the monsoon rains approaching, the people of Bokota brace themselves for potential disaster, fearing that the river will engulf their homes and fields in the absence of preventive intervention.

Local voices are growing louder, demanding immediate government action to stop the illegal mining, restore ecological balance, and ensure the safety of vulnerable communities living along the Disang River.

The illegal sand mining operation continues unabated in the Shahpur area of Kalgachia, perilously close to the banks of the Beki River. According to local sources, the activity has been ongoing day and night, with heavy machinery such as JCB excavators and power pumps being used indiscriminately to extract sand. Hundreds of tractor loads of sand are reportedly being transported from the site daily.

Despite the alarming scale of this operation, authorities from both the forest department and the Barpeta district administration have allegedly turned a blind eye. The illegal mining falls under the jurisdiction of the Barpetaroad Forest Division and the Kalgachia Revenue Circle, yet no action has been taken to stop the destruction.

Locals say that unchecked mining has led to severe riverbank erosion, posing an immediate threat to homes and agricultural lands along the Beki River. Residents living near the riverbank have expressed deep concern that their homes may be swept away if the illegal mining is not brought to an end immediately.

The illegal operation is allegedly being run by two well-known sand mafias- Shahidul Islam and Azizul Haque (alias Munshi). According to sources, they have been evading government royalties and operating without permits for an extended period, with the backing of corrupt officials who are being “managed” financially to ignore the violations.

In addition to JCBs, some groups are reportedly using high-powered pumps to carry out sand extraction directly from the river, further accelerating the environmental damage.

“This region is already highly erosion-prone. Allowing such unregulated mining to continue will only lead to disaster,” warned a local resident. Several villagers have come forward to demand an immediate halt to all illegal sand mining in the area and called for strong punitive action against those involved.

With the monsoon season underway and river levels rising, the people of Shahpur and surrounding areas are urging the administration to act swiftly before irreversible damage occurs.

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