ED probe finds rampant 'rat hole' mining in Meghalaya, syndicate aiding illegal transportation

Guwahati: Despite a ban on coal mining, illegal "rat hole" mining was being rampantly carried out in Meghalaya and Assam under inhuman condition and without any safety for the miners, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), conducting investigation into illegal coal mining, said.

The issue of "rat hole" mining had caught headlines after several miners died after the mines got flooded, both in Meghalaya and Assam. The mines are first dug vertically and coal is mined from the horizontal shafts beneath.

The shafts are so narrow that the workers crawl to extract coal, thus the name rat hole mines.

The ED began investigation following an FIR lodged at Shallang in Meghalaya. There were allegations about illegal coal mining and involvement of many powerful persons including politicians in the illegal mining and transportation of the same.

"During the search, it was found that managers, sardars and labourers were engaged in illegal coal mining in the area of Jadigittim, South Garo Hills using primitive tools.

It was noticed that around 20 mines were being run illegally in Era Aning and Goreng area. Few of the labourers were handed over to local police stations to investigate the matter on the suspicion of their identity/nationality," the ED said in a statement.

Syndicate active

The ED said the investigation further revealed that a syndicate having persons from Assam and Meghalaya were facilitating in transportation of illegally mined coal. The syndicate used to charge Rs. 1.27 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh per truck from the mine owners in the name of commission/patronage in cash.

The illegally mined coal was stored at depots at Jogighopa, Assam. Thereafter, it was transported to different industries like cement, brick kilns, iron and steel industries and illegal coke plants, the ED further said.

The agency said probe revealed that five to seven trucks were loaded every day from each mine. "Each truck used to carry 12 to 16 tons of illegally mined coal. So, the moderate estimate of the illegally mines coal per day from Era Aning and Goreng area of South Garo Hills was around 1,200 tons. The mine owners used to get Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 per truck as their net profit," the ED said.

The ED said a cash of Rs. 1.58 crores and some documents were seized during searches carried out at Jadigittim, Nongalbibra (Meghalaya), Jadugopha, Margherita and Guwahati in Assam, on Friday.