Gauhati High Court Seeks State Response on Illegal Sand Mining in Beki River, Environmental Threats in Assam Highlighted

HC to issue notice to contractor after state response

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court said it will only think about sending a notice to the contractor accused of illegal and excessive sand mining in the Beki River after the relevant authorities respond by the next date fixed.

The bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury decided to pursue this course while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL/33/2026) filed by three individuals expressing concern about severe riverbank erosion allegedly caused by illegal and excessive sand mining in the Beki River.

The PIL flags the menace of such uncontrolled mining activities in the Beki River, particularly without any proper safeguard. These activities have led to severe river bank erosion, which poses a direct threat to nearby residential areas, markets, schools, and agricultural lands as well. Even the homes constructed near the river are at the risk of collapse, which could endanger lives and livelihood also, the petition states.

The petition states that the river Beki flows in Assam through Bhutan and passes through ecologically sensitive zones such as Manas National Park. Because of degradation of the river ecosystem as a result of indiscriminate sand extraction, positive harm has been caused to the environment, including lowering of the riverbed, destabilization of banks, groundwater disruption, increased flood risk and damage to biodiversity.

The counsel for the petitioners pointed out that the mining contract was bagged by a contractor, one of the respondents, who appears to have obtained necessary environment clearance only mechanically. There has been no field verification for assessment of environment or human safety impacts. Though environmental clearance was given to the contractor, the contractor’s necessary prerequisites and duties in maintaining safety zones, protecting the hydrogeological regime, and adopting safeguards are not being followed. A dam-like structure has been created on the riverbed, and heavy extraction machinery has been mobilized, which further causes erosion, he pointed out.

The counsel further said that representations of the petitioners before the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority have yielded no result. This highlights the need to file the present petition, he added.

After hearing the above, the bench ordered the issuance of notice to the authorities mentioned as respondents in the case, including the central and state governments.

The bench instructed the parties to file the necessary response affidavits by the next date, July 20, 2026. Only after the responses are filed will the bench consider the desirability of issuing notice to the contractor, as there are other writ petitions pending in different benches of the HC against him.

Also Read: Assam: Brahmaputra and Beki River still flowing in ‘severe situation’