Assam: Amid protests, Coal India temporarily suspends mining ops

Tinsukia: The Coal India Limited (CIL) has ordered to “temporarily suspend” all mining operations of North Eastern Coalfields in Assam’s Margherita sub-division.

The move comes amid huge protests to support Dehing Patkai, also known as the ‘Amazon of the east’, on the backdrop of the recommendation of the National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) allowing coal mining in the 98.59-hectare ecologically-fragile Dehing Patkai in Saleki — an elephant reserve and proposed reserve forest. The decision is likely to hit the revenues of Indian Railways and Bokajan cement factory.

Speaking with EastMojo, general manager of North Eastern Coalfields of CIL J K Borah said, “We are incurring a loss of over Rs 100 crore per annum with one project in hand. It is not possible for us to sustain with one project, hence, it has been decided to temporarily suspend all mining operations till the time we get clearance on all the angles for all the projects for which clearances have been sought from the government of Assam.”