GUWAHATI, July 8: During the ongoing Assam Assembly Budget Session, the issue of illegal mining was raised during Question Hour by MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar. He asked the government why no steps had been taken to stop illegal stone and sand mining activities.
Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah admitted that illegal mining was taking place in the Beki River. He said that strict action would be taken against those involved. He added that GPS tracking will now be made mandatory for all vehicles transporting stone and sand to prevent illegal transportation.
A heated exchange soon took place between Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah and MLA Akhil Gogoi.
The minister said, “If the syndicate is stopped, Akhil Gogoi’s political path in Sivasagar will be blocked.”
Akhil Gogoi replied that syndicates are already running in Lower Assam and asked the minister to first stop them there. He further said he would expose the minister’s “real face” to the public.
Jayanta Malla Baruah then challenged Gogoi to produce proof for his allegations or apologise for making them without evidence.
The argument led to chaos in the House. Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass intervened and directed that the word “syndicate” be removed from the Assembly records.
The session continued after the Speaker’s intervention.