Over 5,000 migrant coal miners began leaving illegal coal mining sites in the Margherita constituency after a directive from Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh.
On Sunday, Singh instructed that all rat-hole mining operations in Margherita, Lekhapani, Bargolai, Ledo, and Tipong be sealed within seven days.
The migrant workers, who hail from districts such as Barpeta, Goalpara, Dhubri, Morigaon, Nagaon, and neighbouring Meghalaya, had been working in the region’s illegal mines for months.
On Monday, many of these workers were seen departing for their hometowns, primarily via railways.
Reports indicate that the Margherita constituency is home to several illegal rat-hole mines. Despite the visible scale of these operations, local authorities, including Margherita’s police, the co-district administration, the MLA, and the Digboi Divisional Forest Officer, have been criticized for their inaction against those facilitating these illicit activities.
The crackdown follows a tragic incident in Umrangso, where over nine coal miners lost their lives in a mishap at an illegal mine. The incident spurred the Assam Government and police to intensify efforts to curtail illegal coal mining across the state.
The departure of migrant workers underscores the scale of dependency on illegal coal mining for livelihoods in the region. The move to seal the mines is expected to be a significant step in curbing illegal mining activities and addressing environmental and human safety concerns.
The focus now shifts to the effective implementation of the directive and ensuring long-term measures to prevent the resurgence of such activities in the region.
