BISWANATH CHARIALI, June 27 - The people of greater Goshala area under Halem revenue circle in Biswanath district are demanding an immediate halt to the alleged illegal excavation of sand gravel from the Buroi river bed.
According to the allegations, a section of mahaldars have been excavating sand gravel using heavy machinery and excavators. As a result, massive erosion has taken place in villages like Karibil Bangali, Buroighat, Karuapathar, Karuabasti, Gamiri and Dulung Gaon.
The affected people have alleged that property and houses of 40 families as well as a government primary school have been eroded by the Buroi river in the last couple of years due to this reason. The condition of the Chandamari-Dulungmukh road is also deteriorating day by day due to frequent plying of heavy vehicles used for carrying sand gravel from the river bed.
A public meeting was held recently at Brahmaputra Valley English School in which the local people expressed grave concern over the matter. The people submitted a memorandum to the Biswanath Deputy Commissioner and urged the administration to initiate steps for the safety of around 20 nearby villages. They also demanded that the Environment Impact Assessment Report prepared by the Forest Department be made public.
Meanwhile, the Forest Department�s Protection Ranger Bibhuti Majumdar visited the affected areas and took stock of the situation.
