The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Tuesday submitted proofs regarding the allegations of coal syndicate in Margherita to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and requested him to stop the syndicate.
The KMSS also submitted a memorandum to the Assam Chief Minister through which the farmers’ organization reminded the Sonowal-led State government’s promise to stop coal syndicate in Assam.
The KMSS, while alleging that coal theft and coal syndicate have been going on unabated in Margherita and Ledo along with syndicates in various fields, stated that the BJP-led government at Dispur in its first Cabinet meeting announced that the government would stop all kind of syndicates in Assam.
The KMSS, while referring to the report of the CID enquiry – which was started on October 23, 2016 – submitted on January 17, 2017, stated that as per the CID report, there were 75 trucks, which illegally transported coals from Margherita towards Tinsukia.
Quoting the report of the CID probe, the KMSS in its memorandum stated: “The Enquiry Officer has come to know during the discreet enquiry that the illegal transportation of coal has been going on for last many years and it is still continuing with support from the police, local politician, some officials of Coal India Ltd. etc.”
The KMSS alleged, “As per our information, the Coal India Limited (CIL) has been mining coal in government land around the Margherita and Ledo area. Although CIL has permission for average 13 vehicles per day for transportation of coal, around 300 trucks carry coals from or via Margherita.”
The farmers’ organization further stated that even after the report was submitted to the Home Department on January 17 last year, no action has been taken by the department.
The organization, while stating that the State has lost huge amount of revenue due to the coal syndicate.