Assam: Tinsukia Human Rights Body Urges Action Against Illegal Coal Mining

A correspondent

Margherita: L. Ratan Singh, General Secretary of the Tinsukia District Committee of the International Human Rights Council, informs that a total of 533 cases related to illegal coal mining were registered in various police stations across the state between 2003 and 2021 at the concerned police stations, include Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Nagaon, Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Hailakandi, Golaghat, and the office of the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati.

On February 21, 2021, the Assam Police IGP (Law and Order), B.P. Kataki, formally informed the Judicial Inquiry Commission in writing, a fact that has been reflected in the Commission’s report, which, according to the report, no suo moto cases were registered by the concerned police station regarding illegal coal mining from 2003 to the time of preparing the report, as this clearly indicates that illegal coal mining continued with the knowledge and involvement of the government and the administration, regardless of whether the Congress or the BJP was in power, said L. Ratan Singh, General Secretary of the International Human Rights Council Tinsukia District Committee.

Moreover, there has been no visible progress regarding the outcomes of the 533 cases as recently, even though a complaint was filed against Kanika Hojai, the wife of Debolal Garlosa, no effective action appears to have been taken by the administration against her, said L. Ratan Singh.

Ratan Singh, the General Secretary of the Tinsukia District Committee of the International Human Rights Council, has called upon the Margherita Co-District administration, NEC CIL Coal India Margherita, the Forest Department, and Assam police to take decisive action to completely halt all illegal coal mining in areas such as the Dehing Patkai National Park and the 83 Margherita constituency while simply shutting down two or three mining sites will not suffice.

The Council has a detailed list of illegal mining sites and the individuals involved. If no proper action is taken at the departmental level, the Council will escalate the matter to the President of India and the office of the United Nations, said L. Ratan Singh.

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