The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that despite a ban on mining in Meghalaya, illegal rat-hole quarrying is being “rampantly” done under “inhuman” conditions in the state and searches conducted by it have found that about 1,200 tonnes of coal through such means is being excavated daily.
The agency carried out searches on Thursday at 15 premises located in Jadigittim and Nongalbibra in Meghalaya, besides Jogighopa (Bongaigaon), Margherita (Tinsukia) and Guwahati in Assam, as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to alleged illegal coal mining and coke plants running in Meghalaya.
The case stems from a Meghalaya Police FIR. According to a statement issued by the ED, managers, “sardars’ and labourers were engaged in illegal coal mining in the Jadigittim area of South Garo Hills using primitive tools.