Boko, June 7: On the World Environment Day, villagers from Gohalkona, Jongakhuli, Komaduli, Lepgaon and Katholpara took out a protest rally at Lepgaon area to stop the sand gravel mining from Boko River on Wednesday. The Border area development Youth Organisation organised the protest rally hundreds of people including women and children took part in the rally.
The area falls under the Singra Forest Range Office and the range officer Bhargabh Hazarika stated that, ” there were rampant illegalities and only few people having upper hand got benefited out and due to non-scientifically done mining boko river got badly damaged. Keeping all this in mind the goholkona was allotted with following all departmental rules and regulations when it became legal many poor people benefited out of this due to scientific mining related activities.”
However, Ranger Hazarika alleged that miscreants keep on trying to protest so that again illegal mining can be started that will degrade the whole ecosystem.
On the other hand, Jonson Sangma, the president of the Border area development Youth Organisation clearly said that digging too deep caused fear for humans and animals. “The sand gravel mining started from 25 January 2023 and after that the river water was totally unusable and polluted. Now the people cannot use the water for bath and other purposes, cattles even could not drink the water.” added Jonson Sangma.
It is to be mentioned that the Border area development Youth Organisation submitted a memorandum on 05th June 2023 to Bhupender Yadav, the Ministry of Environment, forests & Climate Change against the sand mining activity from the Boko (Chisol) river. Where they clearly mentioned that the contractor was bound to carry out the Sand Gravel Mining within the specified GPS Coordinates. However, it is seen that the Sand Mining is being carried out beyond the GPS Co- ordinates specified in the Agreement. Besides, the sand mining is being carried out beyond the depth recommended in the Agreement. That activity has depleted the water level of the river Boko (Chisol). The haphazard activity has made the water unfit for human, domesticated cattle, and fish in the river, he further stated.
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