Guwahati, July 5: The Indigenous People’s Party (IPP) has issued a scathing condemnation of ongoing illegal mining operations in the ecologically sensitive Parkup Pahar area under the North Western Range of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), demanding immediate action to halt the activity.
In June, the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) submitted a damning report exposing large-scale illegal mining in Parkup Pahar, a designated wildlife sanctuary forming the southern boundary of Kaziranga National Park.
Despite the apex court’s April 2019 order banning mining in and around Kaziranga’s eco-sensitive zone, the CEC found that operations not only resumed but intensified after 2021. The findings were based on a December 2024 complaint, field verification, and satellite images from 2019 to 2023.
“Rampant mining continues, particularly in the Parkup Pahar Range… mining has continued and intensified in complete violation of the 2019 Supreme Court order.”
Reacting sharply to the revelations, IPP chief convenor Rajen Timung accused the KAAC of turning a blind eye. “It has come to light that a person named ‘Gandhi’ is illegally extracting and exporting stones from the area. This blatant violation raises serious questions about KAAC’s complicity or negligence,” Timung said.
He demanded that the KAAC Forest Department take suo-motu action to stop all mining in the area. “The people of Karbi Anglong have the right to protect their land and resources. The KAAC must ensure that these are not looted for private gain,” he said.
Timung issued a one-week deadline for KAAC to issue notices and begin strict action against those involved in the illegal operations.
“If the authorities fail to act, the IPP will escalate the matter to higher forums, including the National Green Tribunal (NGT). We will not let this go unchecked.”
The IPP also urged KAAC to ensure transparency in how the region’s natural resources are managed and safeguarded. “The people of Karbi Anglong deserve leadership that protects—not plunders—their environment. The KAAC must act decisively before public anger boils over,” Timung warned.
The IPP reiterated its core demand: a total and permanent halt to all mining operations in Parkup Pahar near Kaziranga National Park.
