It has taken almost six years for the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to implement the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order to ask the Assam Government to ban mining, quarrying and stone crushing in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape in view of threat to the wildlife habitat particularly tigers.
The foothills of Karbi Anglong hills, which is a prime elephant habitat and also part of the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Elephant Reserve is an important corridors for the movement of the animals of the Kaziranga National park which is famous for one-horned rhinos and royal cat.
In a letter to the Assam Chief Secretary recently, the NTCA has said that mining and stone crushing activities were seriously hampering the survival and conservation of tiger.
A statutory body under the Union Environment Ministry, NTCA also annexed a report regarding mining and said these activities were responsible for drying and siltation of several natural streams and rivulets that flow from Karbi Anglong hills towards the Kaziranga forests.
However, it is not that the NTCA acted on its own to take note of the illegal mining and quarrying being taken in the landscape. It was environment activist Rohit Choudhury’s complaint that the NGT in 2012 had ordered to ban all illegal construction and mining in region. Choudhury had sought action against illegal and rampant stone mining activities in the Karbi Anglong Hills adjoining Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
The NTCA in its report said, “Considering the destructive impact of quarrying/mining activity, all stone mining/ quarrying and crusher units need to be closed down immediately. If these destructive activities are not stopped immediately, then there is a high risk of Kaziranga National Park may lose its corridor and habitat connectivity with the larger Karbi Anglong landscape permanently.”
Suggesting a slew of measures, NTCA recommended constitution of a committee by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to review all permissions and clearances given to all stone crushing, quarrying and mining units operating in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape.