DIMAPUR, AUGUST 5 (MExN): The Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, Dr Tinojongshi Chang, has imposed a complete ban on the use of heavy machinery for the extraction of sand, gravel, boulders and other riverbed materials in the district without the requisite permissions and licences. The order, issued in the interest of public service, seeks to curb illegal and unregulated riverbed mining, which the district administration said has caused extensive environmental damage and posed risks to public infrastructure and local livelihoods. According to the order, the indiscriminate use of heavy machinery for riverbed mining has resulted in “environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, ecosystem disruption, water contamination and damage to agricultural activities.” It further noted that such activities have adversely affected the structural integrity of roads, bridges, culverts, railway infrastructure and irrigation channels. It clarified that any mining operation undertaken without valid permits or licences would be treated as illegal.