The Assam government said on Wednesday that at least 263 illegal ‘Rat-Hole’ coal mines have been detected in the central part of the state under the jurisdiction of two autonomous councils. The government also stated in the assembly that it has seized more than 25,630 tonnes of illegal coal in the last three years.
‘Rat-Hole’ is a process of digging ‘manually’ to extract coal, coal. In a written reply to a question by Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi, Mines and Mineral Minister Kaushik Rai said that 248 ‘Rat-Hole’ mines have been found in the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) including Dima Hasao district.
He said that 15 such ‘Rat-Hole’ mines have been found in the Karbi Anglong Autonom Council with Eastern Karbi Anglong and Western Karbi Anglong districts. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned ‘Rat-Hole’ mining in 2014.
However, coal is still drawn in this dangerous manner in the Northeast. Rai said that coal is also extracted in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Charidev districts, but he did not share the details of ‘Rat-Hole’ mining in those areas.
Ansening another question of Congress MLA Zakir Hussain Sikdar, Rai said that Assam has seven coal sectors in Tinsukia, Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong districts.
Rai said in response to a separate question by AIUDF MLA Ashraful Hussain that the government has seized 25,631.98 tonnes of coal illegally mined and transported from different parts of the state in the last three years.
He said, “The process of auction of coal is going on through legal system … We have taken steps to stop illegal coal mining in the state. A monitoring committee has also been formed under the leadership of the DGP to curb such illegal activities.
