Illegal Coal Trade Thrives Near Assam-Arunachal Border: Rights Body Alleges Mafia Involvement
A local unit of the International Human Rights Council (IHRC) has reported that coal is being illegally extracted and collected from abandoned Coal India Limited mines near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, and transported through an allegedly informal 'entry system' accounting method.
The Tinsukia District Committee of the IHRC released its investigative report on Thursday, outlining years of illegal operations in the Itakhola area of Ledo under the Margherita Subdivision.
L. Ratan Singh, the general secretary of IHRC's Tinsukia committee, stated that the committee found a large number of coal-laden vehicles—ranging from vans and pickups to trucks and dumpers—pass daily through the Itakhola area after bringing coal from the officially abandoned mines.
The committee alleged that a coal mafia has been running this illegal business with the assistance of a former Coal India Limited official. 'The coal supplied through this network is being used to operate five brick kilns, as well as coke kilns,' the report said.
The committee further claimed that the 'entry system'—an accounting method for financial transactions—is controlled from a roadside dhaba (a small roadside eatery), which collects entry fees from the vehicles.
Questioning the role of district authorities, police, North Eastern Coalfields (a subsidiary of Coal India Limited), Forest, and Railway officials, the committee said it would submit a comprehensive report on the illegal coal trade to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
