Assam’s Director General of Police has asked the Karbi Anglong district police chief to submit an action taken report on a complaint against illegal stone quarrying and mining within 10 km of the boundary of the Kaziranga National Park.
On April 20 the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had asked the Assam government to immediately stop all mining, quarrying and stone crushing activities in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape. The 884 sq. km. Kaziranga, home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinos, is also a major tiger habitat.
The quarries are lined along the hills of Karbi Anglong beyond the southern edge of the National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of these are in the corridors animals use to escape when Kaziranga is flooded.
“You are requested to enquire (into) the issue (and) take necessary action as per law and submit an action taken report to this headquarters for the perusal of the director general of police, at the earliest,” the August 7 order from the DGP’s office to the superintendent of police of Karbi Anglong district said.
The order was “in view of the complaint” environmental activist Rohit Choudhury had filed with the Assam Chief Secretary on July 20 in violation of the Supreme Court (SC)’s order in December 4, 2006.
“In spite of repeated written complaints to various authorities with regard to illegal mining in Karbi Anglong hills adjoining the Kaziranga Naitonal Park and Tiger Reserve, the stone mafia in connivance with local political leaders and government officials are running the stone mines non-stop, destroying all elephant habitats and animal corridors,” Mr. Choudhury said.
“I hope the CM will take action to stop the stone mining syndicate and implement the SC’s 2006 order,” he said.