Acting once again on a decade-long malaise that has been afflicting the state’s reserve forest in Rongrenggre, East Garo Hills, officials today filled in six illegal coal mines that had been dug within the protected area.
The operation to plug the illegal mines took place this afternoon and took a few hours to complete. The pits were closed using heavy machinery and personnel from the Forest Department with support from the local police of Williamnagar.
The menace of illegal coal mining has been a long standing problem with forest officials engaged eternally in a cat and mouse game with criminals who continue to ravage the forest area for coal, which is found abundantly near the river that runs through the reserve.
The coal makes for a tempting target as it is easy to extract using miners’ bare hands.
“We are aware that illegal mining has been going on within the reserve forest and have been regularly and actively plugging these illegal coal pits. Regular action led to a complete halt of such illegal acts since early 2020. However, these miscreants once again started their illegal activities and we once again had to act and shut it down,” said the Range Forest Officer of Rongrenggre Reserve, Chisaka Marak.
Marak added that the department was keeping a close watch on such illegal activities.
“We managed to close six illegal coal pits this afternoon and will continue our close vigil,” he added.
The Rongrenggre Reserve has been one of the worst affected reserves in the state due to continued smuggling activities within the reserve, both of timber and coal. The handicapped forest officials have been at their wits end on how to nip the menace in the bud as the smugglers carry illegal sophisticated arms, which makes the battle an extremely dangerous one.
