HT Correspondent
MARGHERITA, March 23: Residents of Malu gaon, Jharna basti, and China basti have feared displacement due to the incessant landslides due to coal dumping in the said areas.
The North Eastern Coalfields (NEC) in Margherita, Assam, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, has posed an imminent threat to Jharna Basti, China Basti, and Malu village in Ledo, Margherita co-district, due to the establishment of a coal dumping ground.
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The area, home to over 1000 families who have resided there for over a century, is at risk of being buried under the dumping ground due to regular incidents of landslides, as local residents fear their homes and livelihood could be lost forever.
The NEC CIL Margherita recently conducted a survey and marked the surrounding area as a “danger zone” with red flags, sparking growing concerns among the local residents, who have been anxious about their safety and future.
Tehon Hakhun, the village pradhan of Malu Pahar village, explained the cultural significance of the area. “There are 102 Tangsa community people living in Malu Pahar village, and we have lived here for centuries. We have our own manuscripts, culture, language, traditions, rites, and rituals. NEC CIL Margherita’s decision to dump coal in this area has put our identity at risk,” he said.
Hakhun further stated, “We have repeatedly approached NEC Margherita to provide land for shelter, but they have denied us any kind of land. As Tangsa community people, who rely on agriculture, the future of our community is uncertain.”
It may be mentioned that due to illegal coal mining at Patkai hills to extract coal landslides incidents have increased manifold for which people living nearby this area have been spending sleepless nights.
“Disaster may strike any time like that of tragedies in Uttarakhand, Himachal pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh,” said a local resident of Malu gaon of Ledo.
“Management of Northeastern Coalfields Coal India ltd in Margherita’s only target is to extract coal and they don’t bother about the life and security of the people who have been living at historical Malu gaon of Ledo, J Jharna basti and China Basti for many centuries,” said Tehon Hakhun village pradhan of Malu village.
