-Avishek Sengupta
In a breather to Dehing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary, Coal India Limited has issued a notice to its unit Northeast Coalfields Limited, Margherita, that has been mining inside the sanctuary, to suspend all mining activities.
The notice dated June 3 mentioned, “As per approval of Competent Authority, all mining operations of Northeast Coalfields, Coal India Limited, Margherita are hereby temporarily suspended with effect from June 3.”
The notice, however, mentioned that the already mined coal-stock will be liquidated as long as stock lasts.
The mining in the sanctuary had been a bone of content of a world-wide protest the after a Standing Committee of the National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recommended approval of the CIL’s proposal for legalizing the illegal mining provided it fulfills the 28 conditions.
The All Assam Students” Union (AASU), Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, and other civil society groups, besides opposition parties, environmentalists, activists, teachers, and students have been protesting on the issue since May, threatening of bigger agitations if coal mining is allowed.
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