The founder-president of All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association, Pradip Dutta Roy, on Monday claimed that illegal transportation of coal from Meghalaya to south Assam’s Barak Valley continues unabated and the government has failed to curb the crime.
“The illegal trade continues to thrive unchecked with the authorities apparently being in a state of oblivion regarding the matter,” he said at a news conference here.
“Coal is brought from Meghalaya to the valley through Gumrah in Cachar district daily and a syndicate, comprising a section of the administration, police and political parties, is controlling the business,” Roy alleged.
Gumrah falls under Katigorah Assembly constituency, around 40km from here.
Roy alleged that around 300 trucks enter Barak Valley daily and these are passed through Gumrah check-point at night in lieu of money.
“Nearly Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 is taken from every truck driver and coal, brought from Meghalaya, is transported to Tripura and Bangladesh,” he alleged.
Illegal transportation of coal has been discussed in various circles and reports have been published in several dailies from time to time over the years. A probe was conducted by the CID a few months back, following an order by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Some arrests were also made but the matter apparently lost importance later.
Roy said illegal coal transportation is thriving despite the government’s efforts to prevent it.
Congress MLA of Karimganj North, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, said many faces from the ruling party would be unmasked if the matter was probed thoroughly.
He said he had raised the matter in the Assembly many times but there was no proper investigation.
“The government had ordered a probe as a formality and nothing else,” Purkayastha alleged.
He demanded a high-level probe and steps against the syndicate involved.
Cachar superintendent of police Rakesh Roushan, however, said, “These are just rumours and nothing else.”
Assam excise and fisheries minister Parimal Suklabaidya, said measures would be taken to curb unlawful practices.
