Illegal Mining Scars Kaziranga Hills, AJYCP Demands Action

In blatant defiance of Supreme Court directives, illegal hill mining is being carried out unabated, day and night, on the southern fringes of Kaziranga National Park. Hills once considered vital shelters for wildlife during the annual floods are now under relentless assault by unscrupulous mining mafias, with little to no resistance from the forest department or the local administration.

According to reports, several large hills in the Bogorijuri area along the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong boundary are being systematically destroyed by organised illegal mining operations. In parallel, the hills' rich vegetation, including valuable trees and flora, is being cut down and cleared, causing irreversible ecological damage.

Environmentalists and local watchdogs allege that forest officials and administrative authorities remain indifferent, acting like silent spectators despite the visible destruction.

The Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has strongly condemned the inaction and demanded an immediate halt to all illegal mining activities in the area. The organisation has urged authorities to preserve the hills, especially as they serve as crucial refuge zones for wildlife escaping the annual Brahmaputra floods.

While welcoming Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s eviction drives against encroachment, AJYCP leaders have appealed to him to also ensure strict protection of the Karbi hills adjacent to Kaziranga from illegal mining and timber mafias. The group stressed that safeguarding these highlands is essential for the survival of Kaziranga’s distressed wildlife during the monsoon.

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