Raju Bista, who has contested Lok Sabha Polls from Darjeeling for the second time on a BJP ticket, is still working to stop illegal mining in Kalimpong, where a private company has caused environmental damage.

Despite requests for action, the West Bengal forest department and Pollution Control Board have allegedly not taken steps, prompting Mr Bista to seek intervention from the Central Empowered Committee on environment.

The area’s fragile environment and biodiversity are at risk due to unauthorized mining practices.

Mr Bista, who was elected as an MP from Darjeeling in 2019, is confident of his victory by a decent margin of votes for the second time in a row. The LS poll results will be declared on 4 June.

The BJP candidate Mr Bista yesterday met the member secretary, central empowered committee on environment, constituted by the Supreme Court of India to investigate and take necessary action against the rampant illegal mining practices indulged in by a private company in Kalimpong.

Mr Bista received representations from elected panchayat members, informing him about how the illegal mining has caused cracks in the lands, water pollution, dust and air pollution, and ruined the life and livelihood of the people living in Echhey Busty, Budhyang Busty, Sandung Busty, Dhajey Busty, Primtam Busty, Sindebong Busty and nearby regions.

Mr Bista also alleged that the forest department and the Pollution Control Board both have failed to take necessary action.

“I therefore requested for direct intervention by member secretary, Central Empowered Committee on environment, to put a permanent stop to these illegal mining practices, and to take necessary action as per law against the violators,” Mr Bista claimed.

It may be mentioned that Darjeeling MP Raju Bista had earlier requested the Union minister of MoEFCC Bhupender Yadav to have the illegal and unsustainable mining practices in Relli and Pala rivers under Kalimpong district to be investigated. Following which, the deputy director general forest (central) had inspected the sites, where it was found that the mining had been in violation of multiple statutes under the sustainable sand mining management guidelines, 2016, and the enforcement and monitoring guidelines for sand mining, 2020 issued by the MoEF&CC.

However, since 2018, the Kalimpong district administration has handed over the mining rights to a particular company, owned by a local politician, sources said.

Following which, the MoEFCC had asked the action needs to be taken against illegal mining and also called for the review of the environmental clearance (EC) given by the District Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (DIEAA) to be undertaken by the state environmental impact assessment authority (SEIAA).

Despite clear instructions from the central government for initiating action, till date no action what-so-ever has been taken by the West Bengal forest department, Pollution Control Board or any other agencies. Instead, the same individuals who have indulged in rampant illegal mining of these rivers have been given additional mining rights.

The Kalimpong district is situated in the eastern Himalayan region and is a part of the 32 IUCN biodiversity hotspots. The region is marked by a fragile high-mountain environment and biodiversity. The region falls under Seismic Zone IV and is prone to earthquakes with major shakes being a norm. Kalimpong also gets massive rainfall, which together with a fragile geological condition leads to multiple landslides in the district. Given these, river mining in Kalimpong District had been restricted to manual removal of sand, stone chips etc, without the use of heavy machinery like stone crushers or excavators.