Illegal coal mining and stockpiling
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: A team of the Assam Legislative Assembly, on a visit to the colliery areas of Margherita, found unfair means being used in the mining of coal. The team's objective was to assess the compliance of mining operations with regulatory standards and environmental norms.
The team headed by Ramendra Narayan Kalita visited Ledo, Tikok West mines, Tirap colliery, and Tipong Firing Range along with district administration and Coal India Limited officials. They found coal stockpiled from house to house in the Tipong Firing Range area. When labourers working there were questioned about the owners of the coal stockpiles, they feigned ignorance or slunk away to avoid being questioned. Kalita said that the coal was being stocked unscientifically, and the owners could not be verified. The team asked the district administration to verify the legality of the coal stocked there and to take action against the illegal owners, if any.
The team inspected various mining sites to get first-hand information on the ground reality and ascertain the extent of compliance with legal requirements. The team also asked the stakeholders to install GPS systems in the trucks carrying coal so that their activities could be monitored. They also instructed the Forest Department to ensure that no illegal mining activities take place in forest areas.
Kalita said, "The legislative team emphasized the need for stringent enforcement of mining regulations to curb illegal activities and ensure sustainable mining practices. We urged Coal India to enhance transparency in its operations and strengthen environmental conservation measures. We reviewed the current mining locations, production levels, and future operational strategy of Coal India."
Kalita said that a report will be submitted to the Assam Legislative Assembly within seven days with details on their findings during their visit to curb illegal mining and management of coal stocks effectively and their recommendations on the same.
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