Illegal coal mining: Govt team inspects sites after complaint, action expected

Doomdooma, Feb 8: Mintu Modi, a resident of Tinsukia submitted a written complain to the Deputy Director General of Forest (Central) regarding illegal coal mining at colliery areas of Margherita in Tinsukia district on December 28. Consequently, a delegation from various government departments visited illegal coal mining sites at Tikak and Tirap colliery under North Eastern Coal Fields (NECF) of Coal India Ltd (CIL), Margherita and took stock of the situation today

The team comprised of complainer Mintu Modi from Tinsukia, K Mere, General Manager NECF CIL, Margherita, T C Ranjith Ram, DFO, Digboi, Parikshit Thoudam, Co-District Commissioner, Margherita, Dr Hemen Hazarika, Thoudan James Singh from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Khagen Saikia and Anupam Phukan from Mining and Geology Department, Government of Assam, and members from Assam Pollution Control Board, Margherita police and Assam forest protection force.

The team revealed that illegal coal mining is rampantly going on in Margherita region and further action shall be taken against those who were involved in multi-crore coal scam.

It may be mention that the Director General of Assam Police had ordered to seal all illegal rat hole minings and other activities in Margherita region within a week.