Overview

• Despite a 2019 Supreme Court order banning mining in Kaziranga and its catchment area, the Central Empowered Committee reported active excavation sites in the park’s eco-sensitive zone between December 2024 and May 2025.
• The CEC found at least 12 operational mines operating under four licenses issued by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, which had no authority to grant permits without National Board for Wildlife clearance.
• Satellite imagery and on-site inspections confirm a reduction in the park’s green cover and highlight long-term damage to wildlife habitat as irreversible.
• The Assam Forest Department maintains that stone quarries were suspended in compliance with the court ban, but the CEC flagged continued operations in the Parkup Pahar Range.
• Congress leader Ripun Bora has called for a CBI investigation into alleged illegal mining and accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of supporting permit violations.