Former Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly and former Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia has urged the Assam Government to launch a Special Integrated Dikhow River Basin Rehabilitation Project under the District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) and the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY), 2024, to support flood-affected families, restore the Dikhow River ecosystem and strengthen long-term flood resilience in Upper Assam.
In a detailed representation submitted to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Saikia said the unprecedented floods that struck Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and adjoining districts had caused widespread devastation, particularly in Nazira Co-District, where prolonged inundation displaced thousands of families and severely affected agriculture, fisheries, livestock and public infrastructure.
Referring to assessments by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Saikia said Sivasagar was among the worst-affected districts during the floods, with nearly three lakh people impacted at different stages of the disaster. He noted that hundreds of villages were inundated, embankments breached, roads and public infrastructure damaged, and vast stretches of agricultural land covered with sand and silt, making cultivation difficult.
Saikia said the government’s response should move beyond immediate relief and focus on permanent rehabilitation, livelihood restoration, rebuilding damaged infrastructure and ecological recovery of the Dikhow River basin.
Highlighting the ecological and economic significance of the Dikhow River, he said the river supports agriculture, fisheries, groundwater recharge and biodiversity across Upper Assam. He noted that authorised extraction of sand, stone and other minor minerals had been taking place in the basin for several years under mining leases, while allegations of illegal and unscientific mining had also emerged. Referring to proceedings before the Gauhati High Court in a public interest litigation on illegal mining in the Dikhow River, Saikia said the issue had long required stronger environmental oversight.
While refraining from attributing the recent floods to any single factor, he called for a scientific assessment to examine whether authorised mining, illegal extraction, changes in river morphology, sediment disturbance and other human activities may have aggravated the scale of the disaster.
Citing provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, Saikia said the District Mineral Foundation was created to serve communities affected by mining activities. He added that the revised PMKKKY Guidelines, 2024, prioritise spending on housing, drinking water, healthcare, education, livelihood restoration, agriculture and environmental restoration in mining-affected areas.
According to the representation, communities residing along the Dikhow River basin have endured repeated flooding, erosion and environmental degradation while contributing to the state’s mineral economy. Saikia argued that these communities have a statutory and equitable claim to the utilisation of DMFT resources, regardless of whether scientific studies establish a direct link between mining practices and the recent floods.
To ensure coordinated rehabilitation, Saikia proposed the creation of a Special Integrated Dikhow River Basin Rehabilitation Project under the DMFT and PMKKKY framework. He suggested that the initiative include disaster-resilient housing, livelihood restoration grants for farmers, fishermen, artisans and self-help groups, mechanised removal of sand and silt from agricultural land, restoration of irrigation systems, fisheries and wetlands, ecological restoration of riverbanks, reconstruction of damaged roads, schools, healthcare institutions and drinking water facilities, development of flood-resilient infrastructure, continuous scientific monitoring of river behaviour and stricter oversight of mining activities through GIS mapping, drone surveys and satellite technology.
He also recommended constituting a high-level expert committee comprising representatives from the Mines and Minerals Department, Water Resources Department, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Directorate of Geology and Mining, IIT Guwahati, river scientists, environmental experts, agricultural scientists and representatives of affected communities.
Saikia said the proposed committee should assess the cumulative impact of authorised and unauthorised mining, changes in river morphology, embankment vulnerability, sediment movement, ecological restoration measures, sustainable mining practices and long-term flood mitigation strategies within a fixed timeframe.
Among his key recommendations, Saikia urged the government to convene the PMKKKY State Level Monitoring Committee under the Chief Minister’s chairmanship, direct the Sivasagar District Mineral Foundation Trust to prepare a time-bound flood rehabilitation action plan, prioritise DMFT funds for rehabilitation, undertake scientific removal of sand and silt from agricultural fields and public infrastructure, strengthen environmental safeguards for future mining operations, publish annual details of DMFT collections and expenditure, and conduct periodic environmental audits of mining-affected river systems across Assam.
He further stated that while the financial assistance announced by the state government would provide immediate relief, it would not be sufficient for families that had lost homes, farmland, livestock, fisheries, businesses and lifelong savings. Saikia urged the government to invoke the statutory objectives of the MMDR Act and PMKKKY to ensure that the District Mineral Foundation serves as an effective instrument for humanitarian rehabilitation, environmental restoration and sustainable development in the flood-affected Dikhow River basin.
