Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 4 Nov: The Arunachal Democratic Party (ADP) has leveled serious allegations regarding illegal mining taking place in the Changlang and Longding districts of the state. The party has submitted a representation to the chief secretary, requesting the constitution of an inquiry committee to investigate illegal coal mining activities within and around the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine in Changlang district. It has also called for action against the sub-divisional officer of Kharsang, the assistant mineral development officer of Kharsang, the RFO of Namphai, and the officer-in-charge of the police station in Kharsang. The ADP alleges that these officials have neglected their duties and submitted false and fabricated reports to the deputy commissioner of Changlang regarding illegal coal mining activities in the Kharsang coal field for many years.
In a letter addressed to the chief secretary, the party stated that the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mines are one of the state’s most important assets, and that Arunachal Pradesh has very limited resources to generate revenue for providing facilities and welfare to its people, making it heavily dependent on central assistance to operate a welfare government.
The party expressed dismay that the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine has become a playground for powerful illegal coal mafias and insurgents conducting illegal activities in the area, particularly in the Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts, which border Myanmar, Nagaland and Assam.
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 as a private contractor. This operation was suspended in 2012. Subsequently, in 2014, the Supreme Court of India declared 204 coal block allocations made from 1993 to 2011 as “illegal and arbitrary,” with the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine being one of them.
The party further mentioned 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 coal mafias are using heavy machinery such as excavators and dumpers in the coal mining areas and illegally cutting hills; however, no action has been taken by the government of Arunachal Pradesh against these illegal activities to date.
The party indicated that an Anti-Rat Hole Mining Oversight Committee (ARHMOC) was constituted by the deputy commissioner of Changlang district to monitor such illegal coal mining activities across different sub-divisions, but these committees have submitted negative action reports to the deputy commissioner for many years. It added that these instances suggest that the committees are either directly or indirectly involved in or encouraging illegal coal mining activities.
“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 mentioned that a tranche-wise auction of coal blocks was conducted as per the CMSP Act of 2015 by the ministry of coal, government of India. Accordingly, the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Mine in Changlang district was allotted to Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd on August 17, 2023, for the sale of coal (0.2 PRC). However, to date, permission for coal extraction has not been granted, the ADP alleged.
The ADP called for the formation of a strong committee to investigate the matter and for the prosecution of all offenders under the appropriate provisions of the National Security Act, 1980. Furthermore, all officials tasked with overseeing illegal coal mining activities in the Kharsang sub-division should be held accountable under the relevant sections of the law and face action according to CCS Rules for negligence in their duties and for submitting false reports to higher authorities.
A separate letter regarding this matter has also been submitted to the Special Investigation Cell (SIC).
In a letter to the SIC, the party has also requested that all officers responsible for overseeing illegal coal mining activities in the Kharsang sub-division be prosecuted under the appropriate sections of the law and face action in accordance with Central Civil Service Rules for their negligence and the submission of inaccurate reports to higher authorities.
