Illegal coal trading continues at Margherita

Illegal coal trading continues at Margherita

: From our Staff CorrespondentDIBRUGARH, Jan 15: The illegal trade of coal continues to flourish at Margherita in Tinsukia district. A section of traders have been running this business without paying any taxes to the authorities. People alleged that the trade goes on with the active support of a section of Coal India Limited officials.Several student and environmental organizations have tried to draw the attention of authorities towards the coal mafia running their business in the mines at Tirap, Tikok, Borgolai and Namdang.The open cast mining in the area is posing a serious threat to the environment as well as residents living in the area. Poisonous water and gas from the mines run by multinational mining companies have damaged fields in and around the area. However, nothing has been done by Coal India to prevent this or even compensate and rehabilitate the villagers. The public enterprise has failed to live up to its responsibility of ensuring of healthcare to its employees not to talk of the local general populace. While people rush to Margherita hospital run by CIL, the establishment is yet equipped with the state of art technology. Serious patients are referred to either AOD Hospital in Digboi or to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh. In a recent mining accident, the victims had to be taken to these two places for treatment since the facilities in CIL Hospital at Margherita were not such as to handle these cases.Huge tracts of forestland on the Patkai hills have been cleared to carry out mining. There has been alarming decline in flora and fauna while cases of tuberculosis and other lung diseases are on the rise. Around 22 coke industries are running in and around the area causing air pollution.Locals say that the illegal coal business has been running with the connivance of a section of police officials. Media have repeatedly reported on it but the concerned authorities have remained silent spectators. Meanwhile, the coal mafia is also pushing Coal India Limited to closure. Coal-laden trucks slip out of the town every night. Petty traders smuggled out coal in sacks. While the general people are fully aware of these going on, the police and CIL securitymen seem to have no knowledge about it, if one goes by the fact that they have never acted against any one in this regard. source: sentinel assam