Itanagar: The Arunachal Democratic Party (ADP) has sought an inquiry into illegal coal mining taking place in the Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The party has formally requested the Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary to establish an inquiry committee to probe illegal coal mining operations in the vicinity of the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine in Changlang district.
The party has further called for disciplinary action against the Sub-Divisional Officer of Kharsang, the Assistant Mineral Development Officer of Kharsang, the Range Forest Officer of Namphai, and the Officer-in-Charge of the Kharsang Police Station
The ADP alleged that these officials had neglected their duties and submitted fabricated reports to the deputy commissioner of Changlang regarding illegal coal mining in the Kharsang coal field over an extended period.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the coal mine, the party stated that the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine is one of the crucial assets for the state’s revenue generation and development.
The party expressed deep concern over the mine’s transformation into a hub for illegal activities, allegedly facilitated by powerful coal mafias and insurgent groups operating in the border regions of Tirap, Changlang, and Longding.
It noted that coal extraction activities took place from 2007 to 2012 by the state-owned Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Trading & Development Corporation Ltd (APMT&DCL), which engaged National Mining Company Ltd to extract coal from the mine.
This operation was suspended in 2012. Following a Supreme Court order in 2014, which deemed the allocation of 204 coal blocks, including Namchik-Namphuk, as illegal, the operations were suspended.
The party claimed that despite this ruling, illegal coal mining activities continue to be carried out within the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine and its surrounding areas in Changlang district.
The ADP alleged that illegal mining has persisted, with coal mafias employing heavy machinery to excavate coal and disfigure the landscape.
However, no action has been taken by the Arunachal Pradesh government against these illegal activities to date, the party said.
The party further alleges that the Anti-Rat Hole Mining Oversight Committee, formed to curb illegal activities, has been ineffective, submitting false reports that seemingly condone these operations.
“Such illegal coal mining not only incurs a significant loss to the country’s economy but is also an anti-national act,” the ADP stated. It emphasized that such illegal activities need to be addressed strictly.
The ADP also raised concerns about the recent allocation of the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine to Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd. While the allocation was made in August 2023, the party claims that the necessary permissions for coal extraction have yet to be granted.
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In a separate letter to the Special Investigation Cell (SIC), the ADP urged a stringent investigation into the matter and demanded the prosecution of all officers responsible for overseeing illegal coal mining activities in the Kharsang sub-division under the appropriate sections of the law.
