Naga Tribal Union Chumoukedima Town has set a 7-day deadline w.e.f. February 24 for DC Dimapur and ADC Medziphema to enforce their orders banning use of heavy machineries in Chathe river for extracting boulders.
The union warned that failure to comply with its deadline would force the people of Chumoukedima to not allow any boulder-laden trucks to cross police check gate. And authority concerned would be held entirely responsible in case of any law and order situation arising thereof, it cautioned.
NTUCT vice-president Akum Imchen and joint secretary Akato Sema in a release said constant riverbed mining by employing heavy machineries for extracting stone boulders and plying of boulder-laden trucks and tipper trucks in river Chathe and its upstream tributaries had made the water muddy, making it unfit and harmful for both men and animal consumption.
It alleged that the harmful impact was directly affecting people in downstream, particularly Chumoukedima town and its surrounding villages.
According to the duo, the situation was getting more aggravated in the current lean season period when both humans and animals were all dependent on the river for water.
The union recalled that the DC Dimapur had banned the use of heavy machineries for extraction of resources in both Dhansiri and Chathe rivers in Dimapur district through an order (No. GEN-9/ DEV/ 2016-D/ 4007-31/ dated, 14 July 2017). Similarly, the Medziphema ADC also issued restriction order on February 28, 2019.
Pointing out that the orders were never complied, NTUCT alleged that the administration concerned also never bothered to ensure that its own orders were implemented in letter and spirit.