Protest erupts against sand mining in Dudhnoi river; M'laya groups join KMSS, Bodo student body

Boko, Nov 24: Despite repeated written objections to the Goalpara District Commissioner and DFO against sand mining in the Dudhnoi river with no action taken to date, the residents of the Damra area under the Dudhnoi police station, led by the Mothers' Union, Assam and Meghalaya, and GSU, Assam State Zone, on Friday took out a protest rally with the support of the people of the area. During the protest rally, several NGOs from Meghalaya, the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU), KMSS leaders, and people from various communities took part and shouted slogans demanding a halt to the sand mining from the Dudhnoi River. More than 1,000 people from the Garo and other communities from Kalikapara, Damra, Nokmakundi, Kasumari, Patpara, Thengshot, Bakrapur, and other villages from Meghalaya took part in the rally.

The protest rally was taken out from the Damra High School playground to the Nokmakundi playground in Dudhnoi LAC. The suffering of the villagers due to sand mining was evident when several tribal women with babies in their laps came to the National Highway to protest. Mothers' Union president Soma Marak said that due to the mining in the Dudnoi River, the level of the water is decreasing day by day. "Even in the rainy seasons, we see very less water than what we had seen in earlier times. On the other hand, the sand smugglers use motors to extract sand from the river, which has led to massive erosion in the area from Dudhnoi to several villages in Meghalaya," added Soma Marak.

Marak also said, "The Government of Assam planned to decrease erosion in the rivers, and minister Pijush Hazarika visited many riverside places in the Dudhnoi area along with the RHAC chief Tankeswar Rabha and ordered the department to work to stop further erosion. What is the point of spending money on these things when sand mining continues in the river day and night?"

ABSU advisor Dhiraj Hazowary said, "The sand mafia are creating havoc on nature through sand mining, disobeying government regulations for such mining. On the other hand, departments like forest, transport, and police do not see the overloaded sand-laden dumpers. The police and transportation department officials take actions only against e-rickshaws, scooters, bikes, etc."

Hazowary added, "When we requested the Goalpara DFO to take steps in this regard, he replied that we have to show him that the majority population of the area is against sand mining. We were shocked at his reply. Today we warned the DFO to either take immediate action against sand mining or face the people's ire." ABSU advisor Dhiraj Hazowary said, "We have come to know that all forest offices and police stations are collecting money from each sand-carrying dumper every month. We suspect some ministers or powerful political persons are involved in this matter; that is why more than 200 overloaded sand-laden dumpers could travel to Guwahati without any problem."

GSU Goalpara district president Bablu Sangma emphasised, "Sand mining has affected the livelihood of the people in the area. They are facing problems in cultivation and other works due to the decreasing water level of the river."

Sangma also said, "We had filed memorandums regarding this matter to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, DC, Goalpara, DFO, Goalpara many times, but no actions have been taken. If the government will not take action, we will start resistance movements against sand mining and transportation, and the government will be responsible for the consequences."