Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Violated SC Order on Mining: Ripun Bora

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has alleged that illegal mining is going on in the Karbi Anglong hills, violating the standing order of the Supreme Court of India. He sought a CBI inquiry into it.

Speaking to the media today, former MP and chairman of APCC’s election management committee Ripun Bora said that the Supreme Court of India issued an order on April 12, 2019, restraining mining in the Karbi hills.

The order of the apex court reads: “All kinds of mining and related activities along the Kaziranga National Park area and in the entire catchment area of rivers/streams and rivulets originating in Karbi Anglong Hill ranges and flowing into Kaziranga National Park, including Tiger Reserve, are restrained. No new construction shall be permitted on private lands which form part of the nine identified animal corridors. The Director General of Police, Assam, and the concerned Superintendent of Police shall also ensure that no illegal mining takes place in the aforesaid area and no transportation of illegally mined minerals takes place from Karbi Anglong Hills.”

Bora said that violating the Supreme Court’s order, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), with support from the state government, has been conducting mining in as many as 12 spots in the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary. He said that illegal mining is going on in the Percup Hill Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary.  

Bora said the report of the central empowered committee (CEC) formed by the apex has revealed rampant violation of the Supreme Court order by the KAAC. The committee submitted its report to the Supreme Court after a six-month-long investigation from December 2024 to May 2025, he said.

Bora further said that the apex court did ask all state governments to declare eco-sensitive zones keeping an eye on the safety of wildlife, failing which the court will declare areas lying within ten km of wildlife sanctuaries as eco-sensitive zones. However, on April 24, 2025 the Assam government de-reserved eight eco-sensitive zones in Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary on Karbi hills, he alleged.  

The CEC report has revealed the fact that the KAAC issuing licences to ten stone quarries, including four near Borjury Water Falls, he said, and added that the KAAC had suspended the issuance of licences. Bora said that the APCC wants a CBI probe into the entire mining episode in Karbi hills.

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