GUWAHATI: A section of leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are behind the scene of illegal coal mining, especially rat-hole mining in Assam and other northeastern states, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has alleged.
This was alleged by Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) in a set of memorandums submitted to President, Vice president, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India (CJI), National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on February 17.
The regional party alleged that illegal coal mining, especially rat-hole mining, continued in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland under the very nose of the police, forest and administration even as there was a blanket ban on rat-hole mining by the NGT in 2014.
In the memorandum, AJP president Lurinjupto Gogoi and general secretary Jagdish Bhuyan said the estimated illegal transaction on account of illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state amounts to nearly Rs 2,000 crore per month.
“The involvement of some politicians belonging to the ruling BJP is an open secret in Assam. These politicians influence the authorities to issue entry passes to traders for the extraction of coal. The politicians receive a cut for every truck that exits the area and the extorted amount is shared with government officials and also influential politicians’ higher-ups involved in the scam,” the AJP said in the memorandum.
“Further transportation of the huge quantity of the illegally mined coal is a bigger issue in terms of money transactions and Tax evasion. The transaction involves crores of rupees. It’s a big illegal racket and a syndicate patronage by a few powerful members of the ruling party. It will be is astonishing to know that daily as many as 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 AJP said.
“The rates for other areas like Jagun, Tipong Jisubai, Koylajan etc. is even more and range from Rs 1,25,000 to Rs 1,35,000 per truck. These commissions are taken instead of the tax challan that otherwise is required for transportation, Thus the government is losing several crores on account of tax, The estimated total monthly illegal transaction on account of illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state amounts to nearly Rs 2,000 crores per month,” the memorandum said.
“Illegal coal mining particularly rat-hole mining continued in various parts of Assam which have a direct impact on the environment and public interest, that demands urgent and immediate action as per law of the land,” the memorandum said.
Such rat-hole mining has been carried out with full knowledge of the state government. This has caused large-scale destruction to one of the country’s finest rainforests located in the region.
In 2014, the NGT banned the illegal mining of coal by rat-hole mining method, but unfortunately rat-hole mining has been continuing unabated in Tinsukia and Karbi-Anglong districts of Assam.
On November 22, 2019, the Assam government informed the state assembly that the government is aware of such illegal coal mining at the Digboi Forest Division.
“Action has been initiated against some officials of the forest department for dereliction of duty, . The department identified the forest zone of Tirap and Tipong as being impacted by illegal coal mining,” the memorandum said.
“Inquiries 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 also said.
The one-man commission led by Justice (Retd.) BK Kakoty constituted by the Assam government categorically reported the continuation of the rat-hole mining” in the state.
The report also highlighted the serious impact and danger of deforestation and its impact on ecological imbalance.
“Needless to mention that it has a serious impact on the overall environment and damages the ecology of the area. Justice (Retd) BK Katakey Commission reportedly mentioned in its report that the NEC (North Eastern coal fields of Coal India Ltd) had illegally mined coal worth Rs 48.72 billion ($650 million),” the memorandum further said.
“On December 25, 2020, Justice (Retd) Katakey Commission noticed rat-hole mines during a field visit to the forest region adjacent to Namdung Colliery under Saleki Proposed Reserve Forest. Heaps of freshly dug coal were seen in the area and also at the homes of people living in the vicinity.
A rat-hole mine is a deep vertical shaft with several horizontal tunnels big enough to let a slightly-built person crouch and work with a pickaxe,” the AJP said in the memorandum.
The Gauhati High Court has directed the Tinsukia District Judge to survey Tikok Extension OCP in Margherita and place for the record the proceedings whether any mining is taking place or not, and if yes, through and by whom.
The High Court has also said that the Tinsukia District Judge can take technical assistance for preparing sketches. The High Court has further directed the state government to arrange for the visit of the Tinsukia District Judge to the place of mining – Tikok Extension OCP in Margherita – over the land in Ledo. Detailed report and action thereof are awaiting.
Arising out of large-scale protest by the general public, various organizations, and environmental activists against illegal coal mining, the SDO of Margherita Sub-Division of Tinsukia district on August 7, 2022, issued prohibition orders restricting entry of unauthorized persons to the reserved forest area of – Lekhapani, Tirap & Tipang (areas where large-scale illegal mining is going on).
“But despite such an order the illegal mining and transportation of coal are continuing. Incredible as it may seem, the government-owned North Eastern Coalfields (NEC), which was given a lease to extract coal in the region, was found to have been engaging in the activity illicitly for many years after its mining rights had expired,” the AJP said.
In a media report on October 15, 2022, Tinsukia deputy commissioner Narsing Pawar was quoted saying that there can be two ways to check illegal mining – one is to impose a complete ban on the movement of coal-laden trucks and secondly, seizure of all illegal Pokland excavators being used by coal mafia.
On several occasions, Pawar officially suggested banning the movement of coal by road,
Pawar also said that to track the movement of Poklands in the upper reaches of the forest, it might be necessary to use drones as the Poklands keep moving from one place to another. In his view, the transportation of coal by railhead can drastically minimize illegal activities. But without any effect.
Despite various recommendations by the inquiry agencies /commissions, the illegal mining and pilferage of coal so mined/dug has continued under the very nose of the government without the kingpins ever being nabbed. Indeed, that has created an impression that the government often displays a total inability, even a reluctance, to check the illegal mining of coal in the eastern tip of Assam bordering Arunachal Pradesh,” the AJP said.
“Seizures of trucks laden with coal dug out from the forests around Ledo-Margherita region of Assam has become a regular phenomenon despite there being a ban on the method of mining that is rat-hole mining without the kingpins ever being nabbed. It has created an impression that the government often displays a total inability, even a reluctance, to check the illegal mining of coal in the eastern tip of Assam bordering Arunachal Pradesh,” the AJP also said.
“There is no effective mechanism for keeping tabs on the vast forested region abutting Ledo-Margherita, which comprises several reserve forests and an elephant corridor which also extends to Arunachal Pradesh. Occasionally, the forest department and the police go on drives to check the theft but with no result. These government agencies often put the blame on inadequate forces/manpower for this,” the AJP further said.
“Tikak and Tirap are the two main coal-producing collieries in the Ledo-Margherita region of Assam. They lie close to some villages, which facilitates the illegal miners /traders to hire residents for digging coal. Locals, including women and children, use sharp tools to extract coal through the rat-hole method. The coal is then transported in gunny bags and head slings to specific locations to be loaded onto trucks. It is important to note that these labourers do not have the basic safety awareness and there are cases where they face fatal injuries and even many labours died without proper treatment,” the memorandum said.
Since last year, NEC has halted coal mining in Ledo-Margherita but the high demand for it has ensured the continuation of the illicit activities by the politician-official-trader nexus. Traders engaged in the illicit extraction and transportation of illegally mined coal have their heavy vehicles/trucks with fake (in most cases) papers necessary to avoid confiscation by officials. These papers are just receipts showing that taxes have been paid, it said.“Another method by which the law is subverted is by overloading the trucks with coal beyond the permissible limit. Officials are bribed to turn a blind eye if the violation is detected at the weighbridges,” it also said.
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“We have reasons to believe that such illegal mining is continuing only at the behest and patronage of the state government as contemplated by the general public, various social activists and other environment protection NGOs from time to time. The reason being Tons of coals are being transported inappropriately and an unimaginable illegal transaction amounting to crores is taking place regularly,” the memorandum said.
“The illegal transaction of huge sums of money has resulted in irreparable damage to the nature, flora and fauna of the region and human lives as well by a handful of scrupulous persons who can be referred to as greedy criminals patronage by government officials and politicians of the ruling party in particular,” it also said.
“We, therefore, have decided to draw your kind attention being the highest authorities in the country for appropriate action on the matter at the earliest convenience. 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 patronizing this illegal mining and transportation of coal,” it added.
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