Assam: Centre Orders Probe into Alleged Ecological Damage in Dikhow River Basin

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has directed Assam and Nagaland governments to investigate alleged ecological damage in the upper catchment of Dikhow river and take strict action against violations of environmental norms.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated this in a reply recently to a letter from Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi who had raised concerns in this regard.

Yadav stated that the Union Ministry had issued directives to the authorities concerned in both the states on September 30. The directorates of geology and mining, state pollution control boards and state environmental impact assessment authorities of Assam and Nagaland have been asked to examine the issues within their respective jurisdictions, conduct field verification wherever necessary and take strict action against violations of environmental regulations.

The principal chief conservators of forests of both states have also been requested to take necessary measures for catchment-area management and protection.

The minister further stated that issues relating to flood management, restoration of river systems and prevention of river pollution had been forwarded to the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for appropriate action and coordination with the state authorities.

The Centre has instructed the agencies and departments concerned to submit their action taken reports directly to Gogoi, with a copy to the Union Environment Ministry.

Gogoi, who is also the deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, had sought urgent Central intervention over alleged environmentally-destructive activities along the Assam-Nagaland border and their impact on downstream flooding.

In his letter, Gogoi pointed out that although extreme rainfall triggered the devastating floods in July, ecological degradation in the upper catchment had aggravated the situation. He highlighted activities such as illegal coal mining, unregulated extraction of sand, gravel and riverbed boulders, dumping of mining waste, deforestation, stone quarrying and extensive hill-cutting as major threats to the river basin's ecological balance.

Torrential rainfall between July 18 and 22 this year caused severe flooding in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts. While more than seven lakh people were affected, over 1.1 lakh hectare of agricultural land were submerged, alongside extensive damage to houses, livestock and roads.

Gogoi had called for a coordinated scientific assessment of the entire Dikhow river basin, stronger monitoring mechanisms, ecological restoration and closer cooperation between Assam and Nagaland to reduce future flood risks.

The proposed investigations and follow-up measures are expected to address alleged environmental violations in the river's upper catchment and strengthen efforts to protect downstream communities from the growing threat of destructive floods.

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