DIBRUGARH: Illegal silt mining in the Brahmaputra riverbed has turned out to be a threat to Auckland and its nearby area in Dibrugarh.

Sources said the “sand mafia” are illegally extracting silt from the Brahmaputra river bed near Auckland for the last month posing a serious threat to the entire area.

The sources informed at each day at least 50 dumpers extract silt from the Brahmaputra.

Assam Cha Jonogusthee Jatiya Mahasabha, Rohmoria Anchalik on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Biswajit Pegu regarding the issue.

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“For the last month, illegal silt mining has been going on in the Auckland area. Every day over 50 dumpers extract silt from the Brahmaputra river bed. Due to the constant plying of dumpers, the PWD road was damaged. We have submitted a memorandum to Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner requesting him to intervene in the matter”, said Mantosh Kurmi, district president, Assam Cha Jonogusthee Jatiya Mahasabha.

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It has been alleged that some unscrupulous sand mafias of Dibrugarh and other parts of the district have been running illegal businesses of sand having nexus with some forest officials.

However, following a series of orders by the National Green Tribunal in 2018, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has for the first time released guidelines to monitor and check illegal sand mining in the country.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]