Rights body seeks closure of illegal coal mining in Assam’s Tinsukia district

GUWAHATI

A rights body has urged the local authorities and relevant departments and agencies to probe alleged illegal coal mining in the Ledo area under the Margherita Assembly constituency in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The coal belt is along the district’s border with Arunachal Pradesh.

The Tinsukia District Committee of the International Human Rights Council (IHRC) on Friday (September 25, 2026) expressed deep concern over allegations of illegal mining activities in the district.

L. Ratan Singh, the committee’s general secretary, asked how illegal and unrestricted coal mining was being carried out at Deep Mine, Lal Churi, Kala Churi, Mulung, Conference Field and other locations, if the North Eastern Coalfields (NEC) administered these areas. The NEC is a unit of Coal India Limited (CIL).

“Alleged illegal transportation of coal is taking place at night in the Itakhula Turning area of Ledo across a railway line. The continuation of such activities without being detected by the police, NEC officials, railway authorities, and other departments concerned raises serious questions regarding the monitoring and enforcement mechanism in the area and calls for a thorough investigation,” the IHRC district committee said.

The committee said all routes allegedly used for illegal coal transportation should be closed within the next 72 hours, and police checking points should be established at strategic locations.

It also said approvals, mining leases, environmental clearances, consent from the Pollution Control Board and other relevant documents related to coal mining in the district should be verified.

“Any illegal or unauthorised coal mines must be immediately closed and appropriate legal action taken,” the IHRC committee said, also seeking investigation into the roads, vehicles, storage locations and related networks being used for the illegal transportation of coal.