Judge's report on coal mining activities in Tikok and Ledo areas of Upper Assam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has asked the petitioners in two separate but linked PILs to file their objections, if any, in connection with a report submitted recently by the District & Sessions Judge of Tinsukia regarding coal mining activities in the Tikok and Ledo areas of Upper Assam.

The directive regarding submission of possible objections over the District & Sessions Judge's report has come in connection with a suo moto PIL and several linked PILs over alleged unauthorized mining of coal in the Tikok Extension OCP (open cast project) in Margherita over land measuring 127 bigha, 4 katha, 15 lessa of Dag No 194 of Ledo Tikok 2 No NLR Grant, land measuring 296 bigha, 4 katha, 5 lessa covered by Dag No 131 and 229 bigha, 3 katha, 2 lessa covered by Dag No 132 of Ledo Tikok NC village, which were allotted to Coal India Limited (CIL).

In his report to the High Court, the District & Sessions Judge of Tinsukia has mentioned that the land covered under the three Dags in question is under possession of the North Eastern Coalfields of CIL.

The report further states that no mining is taking place in land under Dag 194. A portion of the land is being used as a dumping ground for earth, stones etc., another portion has been utilized for an internal road and the remainder is lying vacant.

On the other hand, the District & Sessions Judge's report states that mining is going on under the CIL in certain portions of Dag No 131 and Dag No 132. Of the land covered by the latter grant, around 205 bigha is lying vacant and will be gradually used for mining by the CIL. The report adds that "no house or any other structure belonging to any other person was seen in the land under possession of North Eastern Coalfields in the aforementioned three Dags."

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