Assam Sammilita Mahasangha Blames Illegal Mining for Sivasagar-Charaideo Floods

NAZIRA, July 28, 2026 — The Assam Sammilita Mahasangha has blamed years of alleged illegal stone and coal mining along the Assam-Nagaland border for the devastating floods that recently hit Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, claiming environmental degradation intensified the disaster.

In a statement, the organisation's executive president, Matiur Rahman, alleged that illegal extraction of stones from the Dikhow riverbed had disrupted the river's natural flow and contributed to soil erosion in the surrounding hills, creating conditions that worsened the floods.

The Dikhow originates in the Nurato Hills of Nagaland's Zunheboto district before flowing through Mokokchung and Longleng districts and entering Assam, where it eventually joins the Brahmaputra. Rahman said the river supports rich biodiversity, including nearly 30 species of hill fish, but alleged that illegal mining has already led to the disappearance of several species.

Rahman also referred to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 62/2019) filed by former Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia in the Gauhati High Court, warning that unchecked mining in the Dikhow would increase the risk of severe floods and erosion. He said the court, on October 21, 2019, directed the government to constitute a Mines and Minerals Task Force and a high-level committee for river conservation, but alleged that the directives remain unimplemented.

According to Rahman, the floods and erosion have caused extensive damage to homes, property and livestock, while claiming that at least 48 people have died and more than 100 others remain missing.

He further alleged that illegal coal mining along the Assam-Nagaland border left behind abandoned pits that filled with rainwater and later collapsed into the Dikhow, aggravating the flooding.

Rahman also claimed that the Nagaland government had earlier warned Assam about the possibility of such a disaster, but alleged that the Assam government failed to take timely preventive measures or issue adequate warnings to vulnerable communities.

Criticising the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), he accused the agency of failing in its responsibilities and demanded the immediate removal of its senior officials, describing the alleged lapses as "unforgivable".

He further alleged that relief distribution has been inadequate and uneven, claiming that some flood-affected areas are yet to receive even drinking water and that there have been allegations of political middlemen diverting relief supplies.

Rahman urged the district administrations of Sivasagar and Charaideo to strengthen field-level monitoring to ensure transparent distribution of relief and reiterated his demand that the governments of Assam and Nagaland immediately stop all illegal mining activities in the region.