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ITANAGAR: Five civil society and community-based organizations from Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district have urged the state government to halt mining operations at the Namchik-Namphuk coal block until a fresh public hearing is held.
In a memorandum submitted to the union Environment, Forest and Climate Change minister recently, the groups demanded that consent to operate (CTO) should not be granted to Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd (CPPL), the current leaseholder, without a new public consultation in accordance with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
The organizations cited drastic demographic and environmental changes since the last public hearing was held more than 20 years ago, in December 2002. They argued that the previous consultation is no longer valid, given the doubling of the population, expansion of settlements, and increased agricultural and community infrastructure in the region.
Originally allotted to the state-owned Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd (APMDTCL), the coal block was reallocated to CPPL in 2023 after an auction conducted under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.
The current application for CTO by CPPL is based on a revised mining plan that differs significantly from the 2003 version, raising fresh concerns.
According to the memorandum, the new mining plan proposes expanded land use for roads and infrastructure, a reduced green belt, altered settling pond configurations, and significantly lowers overburden and topsoil dump volumes.
These changes warrant renewed public scrutiny, the groups said.
The issue gained wider attention following a report published on April 16 last, which revealed CPPL had approached the Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) for CTO without holding a new public hearing.
The memorandum also highlighted past violations. Data from the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) showed that from 2007 to 2021, APMDTCL and its private partner extracted over 1.73 million tons of coal, much of it beyond the approved mining area and without a mine closure plan.
This, the groups said, left behind an 8-hectare toxic, water-filled mining void, which they described as a “legacy of mismanagement and non-compliance.”
The groups’ joint appeal stressed two core demands: (1) withhold consent to operate until a new public hearing is conducted and (2) ensure full compliance with the EIA process moving forward.
“We believe that a transparent and participatory approach is critical, not just for regulatory compliance, but also to protect the long-term interests of local communities and ecosystems in Changlang district,” the memorandum stated.
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