Guwahati, Oct 23: A delegation from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) submitted a memorandum to Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya here on Tuesday evening, urging him to intervene and urge the government to take immediate steps to halt a proposed mining project in Dima Hasao district.
Expressing grave concern at the proposed project at Borolokhindong, Tharvelangso and other adjoining villages in the hill district, the APCC delegation claimed that a large geographical area (approximately 9000 bighas) was being proposed for handover to facilitate the mining project, reportedly by entities connected to the ruling BJP’s corporate sector.
“The state government is disregarding the concerns and sentiments of indigenous communities in Dima Hasao. This issue is a matter of survival and safeguarding the land and rights of the district’s local people. The Assam Pradesh Congress, along with its MPs and MLAs, is fully committed to defending these rights and will strongly raise the issue in both Parliament and the Assembly,” the memorandum read.
“Further, the proposed mining project will have an impact on jhum cultivation in the hill district and also affect the ecological integrity of caves and community reserve forests,” APCC stated in the memorandum.
“We appeal to you as the constitutional head of the state to intervene and urge the state and central governments to take immediate steps to halt the proposed mining project. If allowed to proceed, the project will result in the displacement of indigenous people from their ancestral lands,” the party cautioned.
“We also wish to bring to your attention that land in the villages has been auctioned for mining purposes without the consent of the local communities,” the memorandum to the Governor read.