HT Correspondent
MARGHERITA, June 21: A team of legislators from the Assam Legislative Assembly was left stunned during a field visit to coal mining sites in the Margherita area of North East Coalfields.
The visit, intended for inspection and assessment, took a shocking turn when the MLAs discovered extensive deposits of illegally mined coal at various locations, including the Tikak West mining site, Tirap Colliery, and Tipong Firing Range under Northeastern Coalfields Coal India Ltd, Margherita.
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Led by senior MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, the delegation included Pradip Hazarika, Terosh Gowala, Suren Phukan, Rafiqul Islam, Suman Haripriya, and Shivamoni Bora. The delegation witnessed firsthand the scale of illegal activities in the region.
The presence of large coal reserves and ongoing illegal mining operations came as a shock to the lawmakers.
Amid their inspection, the MLAs were accompanied by Tinsukia district deputy commissioner Swapneel Paul (IAS), who conducted a raid on an illegal coal depot right in the presence of the legislators.
Following their field observations, the delegation convened a crucial meeting with top officials at Ledo India Club.
As of the filing of this report, a crucial meeting is ongoing with MLAs, officials of NEC CIL Margherita, Margherita Sub-Divisional Administration (Civil), Margherita Police, Tinsukia district deputy commissioner, Tinsukia Police, and the Digboi Forest Division DFO.
