The Upper Assam floods have renewed scrutiny of mining activities along the Dikhow River and in Nagaland. The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) has alleged that uncontrolled stone and sand mining in the river, along with coal extraction in Nagaland, worsened the disaster.
ABSU president Kwrwmdao Wary raised the concerns after leading a relief team in flood-hit Sivasagar district. The organisation said more than 150 members from 15 Assam districts spent nine days helping 209 families in nine villages.
Upper Assam floods and mining scrutiny
The Upper Assam floods caused extensive damage in Sivasagar and other districts in July. The Dikhow River was among the rivers that reached severe flood levels, while the scale of flooding renewed questions about environmental changes in its catchment.
ABSU said its field experience suggested that mining may have increased the severity of flooding. However, the organisation’s claim remains an allegation and does not establish that mining alone caused the disaster.
The group has called for scientific assessments and preventive measures to reduce the risk of similar events. It also wants authorities to examine vulnerable areas before planning rehabilitation.
Upper Assam floods put Dikhow River under scrutiny
ABSU specifically pointed to commercial stone and sand extraction along the Dikhow River. The river flows from Nagaland into Assam and is an important part of the drainage system affecting areas of Upper Assam.
Earlier, the Assam Water Resources Department had warned about excavation along the Dikhow riverbank. A 2022 inspection reportedly found deep excavation, widening of the channel and erosion near Bamunpukhuri Tea Estate. The department warned that continued excavation could alter the river’s configuration and affect downstream areas.
Those earlier warnings have gained attention after the latest floods. Still, a direct causal link between individual mining activities and the 2026 flood disaster would require a detailed scientific investigation.
Nagaland coal extraction raises wider concerns
ABSU also linked coal extraction in Nagaland to the worsening flood impact in Assam. The organisation argued that mining and related environmental damage in upstream hill areas could affect water and sediment movement into downstream Assam.
Other groups have raised similar concerns. The All Assam Students’ Union, for example, previously sought a high-level inquiry into coal and stone mining and called for a scientific study of the July 19 flash floods.
Other experts and officials have stressed that floods can have multiple causes. Heavy rainfall, river levels, sediment, landslides, land-use changes and the condition of river channels can all influence flood behaviour. Therefore, wider evidence is needed before assigning responsibility to one factor.
Relief and rehabilitation remain a priority
Beyond the mining debate, ABSU has urged the Assam and Central governments to provide adequate compensation and rehabilitation for affected families. It has sought assistance for people in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, where homes, farms and livelihoods suffered major losses.
During its relief work, ABSU volunteers helped remove mud, repair damaged houses and support farmers with replanting paddy. The organisation said community-led assistance alone could not meet the scale of the damage.
The Assam government has also stressed structured damage assessment and rehabilitation in the affected districts. A digital survey programme was launched to assess flood damage in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat, with verification planned before compensation work advances.
Calls grow for scientific action
The Upper Assam floods debate is now moving beyond immediate relief. Questions about mining, deforestation, hill cutting and riverbed changes have increased pressure for a clearer assessment of what happened upstream and downstream.
The Upper Assam floods have therefore also become a wider debate about catchment management, interstate coordination and environmental regulation. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said scientific assessment and satellite data are needed before drawing firm conclusions about mining’s role.
For now, ABSU’s mining-related claims should be treated as allegations. A comprehensive scientific inquiry could help determine how rainfall, geology, land-use changes, mining and river conditions combined during the disaster.
Such an assessment would also help authorities design better safeguards for communities living along the Dikhow and other rivers. Meanwhile, compensation, rehabilitation and restoration remain urgent priorities for families still recovering from the floods.
