The Hti Kha Stream near Ahlanggar Village in Machanbaw Township, Kachin State, is nearing disappearance due to extensive gold mining, locals reported.

Since 2024, intensive gold mining has occurred along the stream about a mile from the entrance to Ahlanggar Village, a villager told KNG.

“Gold mining is happening in both the upper and lower parts of the stream, but the upper section is much more extensive. Backhoes and other heavy machinery are being used, and now the water has turned completely muddy, with the flow nearly stopped,” he said.

Gold mining is visible on both sides of Hti Kha Bridge along the road linking Machanbaw Town and Ahlanggar Village, with at least 10 backhoes in operation.

“In the past, there were around 20 to 30 backhoes used for gold mining, but recently that number has dropped to about 10. The river has become so polluted from the heavy mining that the water is no longer usable,” another villager said.

Most of the gold mining is carried out by business owners from Putao and Machanbaw, with some participation from locals in Ahlanggar Village. Locals warned that gold mining has not only polluted the stream but also put it at risk of disappearing. They stressed that the stream is vital to the community, and its loss would affect everyone.

“Since it’s a bit far from the village, people don’t rely on the stream much for drinking or daily use. But we used to catch fish there quite often. Now it’s so dry that it’s basically unusable,” a local woman said.

The gold mining areas around Ahlanggar Village and Hti Kha Stream are under junta control, and the junta-aligned Tangutan militia group is also active there.

Villagers allege that gold mining near Ahlanggar Village is being carried out with permission from the junta and the village administrator, although KNG has not been able to independently verify the claim.

Locals reported that gold mining is expanding beyond Hti Kha Stream into the forests and farmland surrounding the village as well.

Before the coup, gold mining in Putao and Machanbaw townships was mostly small-scale, but after the coup, large-scale operations using heavy machinery have begun appearing in rivers, streams, and farmland near residential areas.

In Putao Township, the most extensive gold mining is taking place around villages such as Makatmon, Namsbon, and Namkham, as well as along the Mali Kha River.

Ahlanggar Village is located along the Machanbaw–Naungmon Road.