Illegal Coal Mining: Assam Cabinet Devises Mechanism to Check Illegal Coal Transportation

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Cabinet took a few important decisions on Tuesday, including one to put an end to the much-debated coal syndicate in the State.

The Cabinet held with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the chair decided that the Government will weigh all coal-laden trucks at the Srirampur check-gate in Kokrajhar district and the Digarkhal check-gate in Cachar district. If any coal-laden truck is found to carry overload, it will have to unload the coal carried beyond the permissible limit and get that coal forfeited. And no coal-laden truck will be allowed to pass through the Chhagolia check-gate in the Dhubri district.

These decisions on coal-laden trucks will continue on an experimental basis till March 31, 2022. After March 31, 2022, if the government feels it necessary to bring changes, it can. The coal syndicate hinges on overload. It's for overload the truckers have to dole out something to all those who prevent them from carrying extra coal.

Talking to the media after the Cabinet meeting, Government spokespersons Keshab Mahanta and Pijush Hazarika said that all these decisions were taken to put an end to the coal syndicate.

According to the two Government spokespersons, the Cabinet also decided to authorize the deputy commissioners to spend funds at their disposal for the immediate repair and maintenance of damage caused by floods. This authorization will continue from April 1 to October 31 every year (during the flood season). The deputy commissioners, however, will have to consult their guardian ministers for taking such measures.

This decision, according to the two spokespersons, was taken to streamline the system. According to the existing system, the deputy commissioners assess the flood damage needing immediate repair and send their proposals to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department that sends them to the Finance Department. It's the Finance Department that allows the deputy commissioners to spend the funds for the immediate repair of flood damage.

The Cabinet also approved additional 35 bighas of land for the Rs 186-crore Batadrava Than Cultural and Tourism Project that have been initiated at Borduwa in Nagaon district, the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardev. Tourism Minister Bimal Borah will review the progress of the project every month.

The Cabinet also formed a committee comprising MP Dilip Saikia and MLA Padma Hazarika to find ways to use the 77,000 bighas of land lying unused at Gorukhuti near Sipajhar in Darrang district.

The Cabinet decided that each government office will have three portraits, one each of the President, the Prime Minister and Late Gopinath Bardoloi.

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