DIGBOI: Opposition get together Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Sunday alleged that the northeastern state is dropping almost Rs 2,000 crore in income each month due to rampant unlawful rat-hole coal mining in a number of locations, notably in Tinsukia district. The get together despatched a memorandum to the President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court Chief Justice, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, NHRC Chairman and National Green Tribunal Chairman highlighting the problem.
“We have been highlighting rampant illegal coal mining, particularly rat-hole mining, in various parts of Assam. It has a direct impact on the environment, public health and the state exchequer,” AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi informed PTI right here.
He claimed that the federal government is conscious that unlawful coal mining, which has continued unabated for many years in Assam, has triggered large-scale destruction to Dehing Patkai National Park — the most important rainforest within the Northeast.
The AJP, in its memorandum, identified that the NGT had in 2014 banned rat-hole coal mining, whereas alleging that it’s nonetheless occurring and the Assam authorities is conscious of the unlawful actions within the Digboi Forest Division.
“Inquiries in this regard have been ordered frequently at different levels. Commissions have been appointed to probe the illegal activity. These commissions have also submitted voluminous reports only to be shelved with no visible action,” the memorandum alleged.
Highlighting numerous directives of the Gauhati High Court, it alleged that even PSU agency Coal India carried out unlawful mining contained in the forest for 16 years from 2003 to 2019, which was admitted by the corporate in 2020.
“Seizure of vans laden with coal dug out from the forests round Ledo-Margherita area has change into an everyday phenomenon regardless of there being a ban on rat-hole mining, with out the kingpins ever being nabbed.
“It has created an impression that the government often displays a total inability, even reluctance, to check the illegal mining of coal in the eastern tip of Assam bordering Arunachal Pradesh,” the memorandum alleged.
The get together claimed that there isn’t any efficient mechanism to preserve a tab on the forested area and solely the forest division and the police generally conduct drives to test unlawful coal mining, however with none outcome.
“Tikak and Tirap are the two main coal producing collieries in Ledo-Margherita. They lie in close proximity to some villages, which facilitate the illegal miners/traders to hire local residents for digging coal. Locals, including women and children, use sharp tools to extract coal through the rat-hole method,” AJP alleged.
Further, transportation of the illegally mined coal is an even bigger problem when it comes to cash transaction and tax evasion, which fits up to 1000’s of crores, it claimed.
“It is astonishing to know that daily 500-600 truckloads of coal are being transported, alone in Ledo- Margherita area, and the amount of commission ranges from Rs 70,000 to Rs 75,000 per truck,” the memorandum alleged.
The fee for different areas akin to Jagun, Tipong Jisubai and Koylajan is much more and ranges from Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.35 lakh per truck, it added.
“These commissions are taken in lieu of the tax challan that otherwise is required for transportation. Thus, the government is losing several crores. The estimated total monthly illegal transaction on account of illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state amounts to nearly Rs 2,000 crore per month,” the AJP claimed.
The opposition get together claimed that unlawful rat-hole coal mining has resulted in large-scale cash laundering, misuse of cash for criminalising politics and society, irreplaceable degradation of atmosphere and forest, and large lack of authorities income.
“We demand that illegal mining be stopped immediately and stern action be initiated against the persons (irrespective of government official and/or politician) involved in patronising illegal mining and transportation of coal,” AJP stated within the doc.
When contacted, state Mines and Minerals Minister Nandita Gorlosa declined to remark and stated her secretary would get again to PTI. But no response was acquired from any authorities official regardless of a number of makes an attempt.
