Guwahati, March 17: A scenic, isolated hill, which is inalienably linked to the sustenance and culture of the local tribal villagers, has found itself at the centre of a raging controversy, with the decks being cleared for allocation of three granite extraction blocks in Hati Utha Pahar.

While the government authorities are backing the project which threatens to obliterate the ancient hill for facilitating 'development', the villagers are dead against what they feel is a "direct assault on their identity and survival" - something sought to be shoved down their throats without their consent.

The Directorate of Geology and Mining, Assam, had on August 17, 2024, released an e-Auction notice (No. GM/ET/842/pt-1/1413) for the allocation of three granite extraction blocks in the Hati Utha hills. The lease will be for 20 years.

The villagers of Hati Utha Pahar (which means 'hill climbed by elephants'), located near Mayong, have reasons to be wary of the long-drawn project, which is bound to trigger severe and cascading impacts on the environment and mass livelihoods.

That apart, the hill has been an enduring symbol of the very identity and cultural ethos of several adjoining villages. There are places of worship, funeral grounds, and an open amphitheatre in the hill, and it adds to the scenic beauty and aesthetics of the entire locale.

The hill also happens to be the only highland which transforms into a shelter for both man and livestock during times of floods.

"Granite mining will completely ruin the hill and its surroundings, including cropland and beels (wetlands). There will be grave air, water and sound pollution as well. And the hill is deeply connected to our identity and culture. It also harbours biodiversity, including monkeys, birds, reptiles, etc.," Pradip Bangthai, a village elder told The Assam Tribune.

Significantly as this correspondent witnessed during his visit the unusual location of the hill, which is an isolated, freestanding structure in the middle of the plains without any contiguity with any other hills, will naturally result in irreparable damage to the area from prolonged granite extraction.

"It is a lone hillock rather than a hill, and is surrounded by cropland and wetlands. As almost the whole of the hill comprises massive rocks and boulders, granite extraction will completely obliterate it. It will no longer remain a hill," Mukunda Bhuyan, another local resident and NGO activist said.

Villagers are also apprehensive about the impact of granite mining on livelihoods. "Our fertile paddy fields will get polluted and suffer sedimentation, as will be the wetlands. This will impact both agriculture and fishing," Akshay Bangthai, a farmer, said, adding that air and sound pollution would make the villagers' existence unbearable.

"This place is like a heaven for us. We are breathing pure air and even our summers are pleasant due to the persistent cool breeze. We shudder to think the effects of granite mining for 20 years on our existence," he added.

Aside from adverse environmental effects, the spectre of a loss of cultural identity looms large over the people.

"These villages are mostly inhabited by tribal people with close-knit societies. The hill-dotted with relics and steeped in history and heritage - has literally been at the centre of their existence, enriching them in myriad ways. This has been a sacred icon of their cultural and spiritual identity since ages. None has the right to rob them of what is essentially theirs," Latif Dewan, another resident, said.

"We know each and every rock on the hill. We have grown up climbing up and down on these rocks. We cannot even imagine the villages' existence without Hati Utha Pahar," he added.

When asked, a geology and mining department official sought to downplay the adverse environmental impact, saying that only three blocks, and not the entire hill, were being auctioned for mining. "We will put measures for preservation of the hill and minimize pollution from mining," he said. The villagers are, however, far from enthused by the official version, and for good reasons.

"It is ridiculous to say that the hill would be preserved even as it is being mined. This is a very small and isolated hill and mining will alter its topography forever. The rocks are the very composition of the hill and once you extract those, the hill will be no more," Bangthai said.

- By Sivasish Thakur