Assam Govt orders closure of 28 stone quarries, 18 crushers near Kaziranga

Time of India

7 days ago

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Guwahati: The state govt has ordered the closure of 28 stone quarries and 18 stone crushers in the Dolamara area near Kaziranga National Park, adhering to a
Supreme Court
mandate prohibiting mining activities.
Furthermore, 10 mining permits and related operations, including stone extraction, sand mahals, and sand-cum-gravel mining contracts in the Rangsali area, have been terminated.
This was confirmed by minister of state for environment, forest and climate change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written response to inquiries from Assam MP and deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi.
In "TN Godavarman Thirumulpad Vs Union of India & Ors" case, the Supreme Court in its order on April 12, 2019 had directed the Assam DGP and the SP concerned to ensure that no illegal mining and transportation of illegally mined materials took place in the Kaziranga National Park area and in the entire catchment area of rivers or streams and rivulets originating in Karbi Anglong Hill ranges and flowing into Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
The minister further stated in the Lok Sabha that the govt has taken significant steps to mitigate the risk of road accidents involving wild animals and ecological degradation around Kaziranga. These steps include the construction of underpasses, elevated corridors, and culverts to facilitate the safe passage of animals across highways.
The steps, as the minister stated, also include the identification and protection of wildlife corridors to maintain habitat connectivity and minimise the need for animals to cross roads.
This is in addition to the installation of eco-friendly barriers and fencing along roads to guide animals toward designated safe crossing points. Implementation of speed-reducing measures such as rumble strips and speed breakers near wildlife crossing zones and putting up cautionary signboards to alert drivers about wildlife presence and enforce speed regulations are other steps taken by the govt.
On the issue of the diversion of eco-sensitive land near Kaziranga for commercial or infrastructure projects despite its Unesco world heritage status, the minister said proposals were submitted by the state govt for consideration of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life (SCNBWL) after due recommendation of the State Board for Wild Life. Two proposals for diversion — construction of a four-lane tunnel across the Brahmaputra between Gohpur and Numaligarh and widening and improvement of the existing carriageway to four-lane construction from Kaliabor to Numaligarh — were recommended by the SCNBWL.