No illegal rat-hole coal mining in Assam: Industry minister

Brushing aside allegations of the existence of coal syndicates and illegal rat-hole coal mining, the Assam government on Saturday said that only Coal India Ltd (CIL) is allowed to carry out mining operations in the Northeastern state. Addressing a press conference, Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said, the trucks that are seized by the CID regularly for smuggling the mineral illegally are from the neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya.

"In Assam, coal mining is allowed only by the CIL, which is a PSU. "However, in the neighbouring states, the entire coal sector is with private parties," Patowary said.

The existence of coal syndicates in the state has come to the fore with the seizure of hundreds of trucks for smuggling coal illegally. "Our government's stand is that we will not allow coal mining by destroying forest cover," he said.

When asked about the steps taken to curb illegal mining, Patowary said, "We do not think there is any illegal rat-hole coal mining in Assam." However, Patowary had on November 30, 2019, informed the Assam Assembly that illegal mining and transportation of coal was going on in the state, but the state government did not show any leniency and was taking action to prevent such activities. In fact, Union Minister of State for Forest Babul Supriyo replying to a written query by Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi had said in the Lok Sabha on November 22, 2019, that illegal mining was going on inside six forests of Digboi division in upper Assam.

"Connivance of forest officials in illegal coal mining has not been reported. "However, action has been initiated against certain forest officials of Digboi division for dereliction of duty," Supriyo had said.

The minister also said the Assam government had informed that the tunnels for rat-hole mining had been filled up and sapling was being planted. Currently, the issue of illegal coal mining and the transportation of the mineral is being investigated by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police.

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