Saga of illegal coal mining in Tinsukia district

PART-I

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: Illegal coal mining in the Tinsukia district is a century-old practice.

Initially it was either mere cases of theft from Coal India depositories or through rat-hole mining. The consumers were then mostly brick kilns and local hotels and the coal in gunny bags were transported by a section of Telegu people in local passenger trains. But gradually, during the past few decades, illegal coal mining and transportation passed into th organized commercial sector with the involvement of coal mafia in active connivance with police, armed rebels, transporters, transport department, politicians, a section of mediapersons and local goons. The situation has now attained such a pass that the illegal mining can be witnessed in all forest ranges of the Patkai hills like Saleki Reserve Forest, Lekhapani Reserve Forest, Tipong Reserve Forest, etc., in the east virtually without any check.

While it is easy to blame organizations like Coal India, Mining & Minerals, Pollution Control Board etc., but none dares to step into the hideouts of illegal miners. Come November, the illegal activities are likely to resume in full swing.

According to Narsing Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia, there can be two ways to check illegal mining: one is to impose a complete ban on the movement of coal-laden trucks and, secondly, seizure of all illegal Pokland excavators being used by coal mafia. On several occasions, he officially suggested banning movement of coal by road, but without any effect. Pawar further said that in order to track the movement of Poklands in the upper reaches of the forest, it might be necessary to use drones as the Poklands keep moving from one place to another. In his view, transportation of coal by rail-head can drastically minimize illegal activities.

The Divisional Forest Officer of Digboi Range, Ranjith Ram speculated about resumption of illegal mining in Tipong Reserve Forest from November and said that a forest beat office is being constructed around 2-3 km from TirapTinali, where the forest personnel will be reinforced with adequate logistical support from other range offices located close to National Highway. He said that further plundering of forests by the coal mafia will not be allowed. Due to security reasons all range offices are presently located close to NH, he said.

Manual mining by rat-hole, however, continues throughout the season. The miners carry the extracted coal from coal seams in gunny bags and deposit them on dumping sites in the foothills. Further transportation by pick-up vans is hindered due to rain and other adverse factors, said a source, adding that they wait for the dry season to prevail, particularly from November onwards. The miners sell the non-combusted coal to brokers at the rate of Rs 5 per kg.

On the other hand, the Tinsukia Transport Department, though well aware of the huge number illegal vehicles including excavators plying in the area, never dared to carry out any operation due to NSCN activities. An official said that these mafias have engaged informers from Makum to send alert messages on the movement of official personnel. 'We cannot risk our lives," said the official citing previous incidents. (To be concluded)

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