Congress Leader Debabrata Saikia Demands Probe into Illegal Mining Activities in Assam

Guwahati, February 13, 2020:

Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia has reiterated his demand to the Government to tackle the rampant mining that is taking place across Assam. The leader of the opposition in Assam has also charged the Government of "contempt of court" for the non-appointment of a high-level committee to probe the issue, which the Government had ordered.

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In 2018 and 2019, the Congressman had approached the High Court demanding stringent action against the illegal mining mafia that reportedly operates syndicates in Assam. The Court, in its response had recommended the setting up of a High-Level Committee and a Mines and Minerals Task Force Battalion. However, the committee has not been constituted as of yet and Saikia has raised the issue with the Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court.

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Talking to Inside Northeast, Debabrata Saikia said that mining of various kinds is "rampant" in Assam, but goes unchecked. "The Government talks of conserving nature, but the same nature is being exploited by the illegal mining activities of substances like coal, minerals, stones. This is extremely harmful for the environment..."

Lamenting that the Government still has not formed a high level committee to probe the issue, the senior Congress leader said, "Look, this is a contempt of the Court. After I filed my petitions, the Court had ordered the formation of committee to probe the issue, but alas, on January 22, the period given for the formation of a committee has elapsed, but the committee has not been formed. That illegal mining is rampant is plain for everyone to see..."

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