Assam minister: 263 illegal rat-hole coal mines detected in central areas of state

At least 263 illegal rat-hole coal mines have been detected in the central part of Assam under the jurisdiction of two autonomous councils, the state government said on March 5. 

The government also informed the assembly that it has seized over 25,630 tonnes of illegal coal in the last three years.

In a written reply to a query from Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi, Mines and Minerals Minister Kaushik Rai said that 248 rat-hole mines have been found in North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), comprising Dima Hasao district.

In Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, comprising East Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts, 15 such rat-hole mines have been found, he added.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned rat-hole mining in 2014. However, coal is still extracted through this dangerous method in the Northeast.

Rai further said that coal is extracted in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Charaideo districts as well, but did not share details of rat-hole mining in those areas.

Responding to another question from Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Rai said there are seven coal fields in Assam across Tinsukia, Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong districts.

Tirap Coal Grant, Lekhapani-Tipongpani, Ledo-Borgaloi, Ledo OCP and Namdang Coal Grant are in Tinsukia, while AMDC (Garampani Coal Extraction Project) and Koilajan are located in Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong respectively, he added.

"Out of these, permission is there for only Ledo-Borgaloi at present," the minister said without elaborating.

At least nine labourers were trapped inside the illegal 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in Umrangso area on January 6 after a sudden gush of water flooded the site. Partially decomposed bodies of all miners were retrieved after several days from the rat-hole mine.

Rai, in a reply to a separate query from AIUDF MLA Ashraful Hussain, said that the government has seized 25,631.98 tonnes of illegally mined and transported coal from different parts of the state in the last three years.

"The process of auctioning the coal through a legal system is underway... We have taken steps to prevent illegal coal mining in the state. A monitoring committee was also formed under the leadership of the DGP to check such illegal activities," he added.

In a discussion on the Umrangso incident later in the House, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia alleged that rat-hole mining and coal smuggling were rampant in Assam.

"Who is responsible for the Umrangso incident? Is the government trying to hide something? If not, then why is the government not sharing the names of the culprits? A probe should be ordered by an independent agency to punish the culprits," he added.

Sikdar alleged that the wife of a powerful BJP leader of Dima Hasao runs a racket of illegal coal mining in the district.

Rai told the House that a one-man inquiry commission of Justice (Retd.) Anima Hazarika was constituted to probe the Dima Hasao mining tragedy in January and it will submit the report within three months.

The Assam Police too set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by IGP (Law and Order) Akhilesh Singh, to inquire the entire incident at Umrangso, he added.

CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar alleged that syndicates were involved in the collection of "goonda tax" and illegal transportation and of items such as coal, betel nut, fish, egg, chicken and cattle, but the state government has done nothing to stop it.

Akhil Gogoi claimed that syndicates were involved in 23 items, with the largest being betel nuts coming from Myanmar.

"Around 40-50 trucks of Burmese betel nut pass through Assam every day. Concealed in those, drugs and arms are also being smuggled into the country. The Union Home Ministry had warned about it earlier," he added.