Bajali: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata, has directed the District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Bajali to personally appear before the tribunal on December 11, 2025, in connection with a case of illegal sand mining in the Kaldiya River, Bajali district, Assam.
The directive was issued during a hearing on September 24, 2025, citing a lack of clarity on police action taken following complaints regarding the unlawful activity.
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The case, Arup Jyoti Das & Ors. vs State of Assam & Ors. (Original Application No. 196/2024/EZ), originates from a complaint about illegal sand extraction at Chaibari Village. Advocates representing the applicants noted that although a person involved in the illegal mining was identified and a written complaint was submitted by the Executive Magistrate, Bajali, on July 28, 2024, there was no record of an FIR being registered or a timely investigation conducted.
The tribunal, comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Ishwar Singh (Expert Member), emphasized that illegal mining constitutes theft, and police are legally bound to register an FIR immediately upon receiving such information, as per Supreme Court guidelines.
In September 2024, the NGT had already ordered a probe into the illegal sand mining allegations and constituted a committee to inspect the site and assess damage to the river and surrounding ecosystems.
Expressing concern over delayed FIR registrations in similar cases, the NGT also directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Assam, to intervene and file an affidavit within four weeks. The affidavit must include details of complaints made by Executive Magistrates or other government officials regarding illegal mining, whether FIRs were registered immediately, and whether investigations were conducted promptly.
Regarding the Bajali administration, the NGT noted that the personal appearance of the DM and SSP is essential to assist the tribunal in a fair adjudication. They have been instructed to appear physically or via video conferencing, along with relevant records, on December 11, 2025, which has been fixed as the final hearing date.
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Meanwhile, respondents in the case have been given a timeline to file their responses and rejoinders.
This development underscores the tribunal’s focus on strict enforcement of environmental laws and timely police action to prevent illegal sand mining, a practice that has significant ecological and legal implications in Assam.
