Debabrata Saikia blames illegal riverbed mining for Nazira flood crisis

NAZIRA, July 21, 2026 — Former Nazira MLA and former Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has alleged that the devastating flood situation in Nazira subdivision and other parts of Sivasagar district is the result of years of unchecked illegal sand and stone mining in the Dikhow River.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Saikia claimed that rampant extraction of sand and stone from the riverbed by illegal mining syndicates, allegedly with official patronage, had weakened the river's natural course and aggravated the impact of the current floods.

He said he had raised concerns over the Dikhow River through a Public Interest Litigation before the Gauhati High Court in 2018 and again warned the government in the Assembly in 2022, citing a report of the Water Resources Department. According to Saikia, he had cautioned that continued illegal mining could transform the Dikhow into a "sea-like" expanse during floods, causing extensive damage to surrounding areas.

The Congress leader alleged that the state government had ignored these warnings and was now claiming to be fully prepared for the flood situation despite widespread devastation in Nazira and other parts of Sivasagar district.

Saikia also claimed that relief camps in flood-affected districts, including Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Jorhat, were facing shortages of food and drinking water. He urged the government to ensure adequate relief materials, safe drinking water and temporary shelter for all flood-affected families.

The Assam government has not responded to Saikia's allegations regarding illegal riverbed mining. Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations by the district administration and disaster response agencies continue across the flood-hit areas of Upper Assam.