South Kamrup DC cracks down on earth-cutters

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 1: With Forest officials, including some top ones, preferring to look the other way so as to allow illegal activities like earth cutting and tree felling taking place right under their nose, the South Kamrup Deputy Commissioner had to step in to stop the mece.

Deputy Commissioner Rajib Prakash Baruah himself today seized a number of earth-cutting machines – a JCB excavator, a Falkland and a dumper – while being used for earth-cutting at Maliata hillock in the Palasbari area today. This is not the first time that the DC seized such machines used for earth cutting in the district. In the recent past he was on record seizing illegally felled timbers being carried out to elsewhere in the State. The earth-cutting machines have been handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, Baruah today promulgated Section 144 CrPC in the district prohibiting illegal mining, excavation of sand and slits from water bodies and any other tural bodies by any person and illegal blasting of rocks in the entire district. He also prohibited transportation of illegally mined sand and silt from other districts in South Kamrup district or using into South Kamrup district as a transit for transport of sand and silt in various parts of the state. He also prohibited the movements of trucks and vehicles carrying illegally mined and excavated sand and silt etc., within the district as well as out of the district. This order came into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force until further order.

In another order under Section 144 CrPC, the DC has prohibited uuthorized occupation or illegal encroachment or construction of any structure, including dwelling homes on any hill /hillock in South Kamrup district bearing Government revenue land or reserve forest on it. The order has been issued keeping in mind that indiscrimite and uuthorized hill/hillock cutting /tampering of the hill/hillock surface causes serious harm to the human life and property resulting from landslides and artificial floods due to clogging of draige with loose soil as well as for maintence of ecological balance and environmental safety of the locality.