Gauhati High Court has sought responses from central and state authorities over allegations of illegal and excessive sand mining in the Beki River, following a public interest litigation highlighting severe environmental damage and riverbank erosion in the area.
The matter came up before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury while hearing PIL No. 33/2026 filed by three petitioners concerned over the ecological and human impact of uncontrolled sand extraction in the river.
During the hearing, the bench observed that it would decide later on whether notice should be issued to the contractor accused in the case. The court stated that it would first examine the replies to be submitted by the concerned authorities before taking any further step against the contractor.
According to the petition, rampant and unregulated sand mining in the Beki River has triggered serious riverbank erosion, posing threats to nearby villages, residential areas, schools, marketplaces, and agricultural land. The petitioners also warned that houses built close to the riverbank are facing the danger of collapse, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
The PIL further pointed out that the Beki River originates in Bhutan and flows through ecologically sensitive areas of Assam, including the internationally recognised Manas National Park. The petitioners argued that indiscriminate sand extraction has damaged the river ecosystem and contributed to lowering of the riverbed, destabilisation of riverbanks, disruption of groundwater systems, increased flood vulnerability, and harm to biodiversity.
Appearing for the petitioners, counsel alleged that the mining contract was awarded to a contractor who had allegedly secured environmental clearance without proper scrutiny. The counsel argued that no detailed field verification was carried out to assess environmental and human safety concerns before granting permission.
The petitioners further claimed that despite receiving environmental clearance, the contractor allegedly failed to comply with mandatory safeguards, including maintaining safety zones and protecting the river’s hydrogeological balance. It was also alleged that a dam-like structure had been created on the riverbed and heavy machinery deployed for large-scale extraction, worsening erosion in the region.
The counsel informed the court that several representations had earlier been submitted before the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority regarding the issue, but no effective action followed. As a result, the petitioners approached the High Court seeking judicial intervention.
After hearing the submissions, the bench directed issuance of notices to the authorities named as respondents in the case, including both the Central and Assam governments.
The court instructed all concerned parties to submit their response affidavits before the next hearing scheduled for July 20, 2026. The bench clarified that only after examining those responses would it consider whether notice should also be issued to the contractor, especially since multiple writ petitions involving the same individual are reportedly pending before different benches of the High Court.
