Assam: Over 400 coal workers face job cuts as mining operations wind down in Margherita

Hundreds of coal workers from North Eastern Coalfields (NECL) Margherita and ANE Mining Private Limited staged a protest Saturday morning at Tikak weight bridge area following ANE Mining's directive to suspend contract-based workers effective June 1.

The suspension affects more than 400 contract employees at Tikak Colliery East (expansion), the only operational mine among six collieries that once functioned under NEC CIL Margherita in Assam's Tinsukia district.

Pallav Shyam Wailung, general secretary and spokesperson of Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee, said the decision has sent shockwaves through Margherita's business community. The region's economy relies heavily on the coal industry, supporting everyone from cart pullers and shopkeepers to tea industries and private educational institutions.

"This 200-year-old Northeastern Coalfields Coal India Ltd Margherita serves as a lifeline to residents of the Margherita region," Wailung said. "The sudden decision will not only impact the 400-plus employees but also the broader business community."

Six collieries previously operated in the area: Bargolai colliery, Tikak East mining, Tikak West mining, Ledo OCP, Tirap colliery, and Tipong colliery. Environmental and operational issues reduced operations to just Tikak colliery east (expansion), which now faces closure.

The coal industry has historically provided substantial community support through CSR funds, financing electricity supply, water systems, VKV School in Bargolai, Central Hospital in Margherita, and sanitation facilities.

Wailung criticised the management of the industry under current leadership, contrasting it with the British-era development of the sector. "White Sahab contributed significantly to industrial development in Assam, but the current officials have only exploited and destroyed this 200-year-old coal industry," he said.

The Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee has called for the immediate reopening of Tikak East and West mining operations, along with Tirap Colliery, suggesting the use of existing dumping grounds to restart production.

Workers remain united in their opposition to the closures, with Wailung warning of stronger protest measures if Coal India Ltd's Kolkata head office fails to respond to their appeals.