Dibrugarh: Once again, large-scale illegal coal storage has been spotted at Ledo under the Margherita constituency in Assam’s Tinsukia district.
Expressing strong dissatisfaction over this issue, L. Ratan Singh, General Secretary of the International Human Rights Council, Tinsukia District Committee, stated that without the tacit support of the government and the police, such illegal coal storage and expansion would not be possible.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“Today, while returning from a special assignment in Arunachal Pradesh, I noticed that between Itakhola and Tirap Colliery in the Ledo area, unauthorized pathways have been created on railway land to store illegal coal. Upon investigating through its officials, I found that the stored coal was extracted from the banned rat-hole mines of Deep Mine and No.1 Mulung Hill. This illegal operation is allegedly led by individuals identified as Das and Rajak, who regularly stockpile coal and transport it via trucks in the evening,” Singh stated.
He said, “The key issue here is that the land where this coal is being stored belongs to the Indian Railways. Just a few days ago, railway police arrested five individuals from the same area and sent them to jail. However, despite these arrests, illegal coal storage and trade continue unabated at the same location.”
The committee has also urged the Railway Police, local police administration, North Eastern Coal India, and the sub-divisional administration to take immediate action to stop illegal coal storage and trading.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The committee has also warned that if the administration fails to take appropriate measures in time, it will be compelled to approach the High Court for intervention.