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Assam Govt Orders Closure of All Rat-Hole Mines Within 7 Days

He said that the all stakeholders including the Mining department, District administration, Forest department, among others have been instructed to assure that all rat-hole mining sites across the state are closed within the said time.

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 7-Day Deadline Issued to Shut Down Illegal Rat-Hole Mines in Assam: GP Singh

Assam Police Issues 7-Day Deadline to Shut Down Illegal Rat-Hole Mining

A strict seven-day deadline has been issued to shut down all coal fields across Assam where illegal rat-hole mining is underway. Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh, who inspected sites in Margherita, Ledo and Lekhapani areas along with the IG and SP, confirmed the directive on Sunday. 

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He added that the all stakeholders including the Mining department, District administration, Forest department, Coal India Limited, among others have been issued instructions to assure that all rat-hole mining sites across the state are closed within the said time. 

Speaking on the issue, GP Singh said, “Rat-hole mining is still ongoing in places like Margherita, Ledo and Lekhapani. In this reagrd, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed me to ensure that all illegal coal mines are closed within seven days. We inspected some sites yesterday along with the IG and SP. All stakeholders have been instructed to shut down all coal fields where illegal rat-hole mining is taking place within a period seven days. In Umrangso, we have instructed authorities to seal all abandoned mines."

According to reports, authorities have sealed 13 illegal rat-hole mines in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district as part of an intensified crackdown on unauthorized coal mining. In a separate operation conducted on Saturday morning at Bittu Pahar in Namdang Colliery under Margherita Co-District, four illegal coal miners were arrested, while two temporary offices were sealed. Officials also seized a generator and excavators from the site.

The raid was conducted in the presence of Margherita Co-District Executive Magistrate Pritom Gogoi, Assam DGP GP Singh, personnel from Margherita police, officials from North Eastern Coalfields of Coal India Ltd., and representatives from Assam Power Distribution Company Limited's Margherita Sub-Divisional Engineer's office.

In Dima Hasao, the police and district administration have launched a drive to seal all illegal mines and confiscate mining equipment.

This crackdown comes in connection with the flooding of rat-hole mine at the Tin Kilo area of Umrangso on January 6, which trapped several miners. While the bodies of four miners were recovered by January 10, five others remain missing.

Illegal Coal Mining Assam DGP GP Singh Umrangso