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Media of Barak and Brahmaputra Valleys have umpteen times brought into light the clandestine business in coal and Burmese betel nut, depriving the state exchequer of huge revenue. CBI did start investigation on the directive of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal nearly two years ago. But, quite mysteriously, it halted after making some progress. Considering the serious ramification of the scam, a border resident Ajit Basumatary, prepared a detailed representation on the widespread network of black diamond racket spreading from the Sutarkandi check gate of Karimganj to Khliehriat, Dawki and Guwahati to involvement of high and low administrative as well as police officials, political leaders and a surfeit of traders. The representation was submitted to P K Musahary, Chairperson, Lokayukta, Meghalaya, who advised the CBI to take up the investigation.
According to a reliable source, the CBI has started investigation from the originating point of Khliehriat. This has sent shivers down the spine of the officials and the leaders of Barak Valley in particular who have been playing second fiddle to the illegal trade. Within an ambit of probe are 70 officials, individuals and other 100 associated persons. Under political patronage and official back up, the illegal trade has cost the Government of Assam and Meghalaya huge revenue loss of an estimated Rs 1000 crore and it continues to mount since the clandestine business has been going on since 2015. Even on this date, the illegal trade goes on as reported from the Assam-Meghalaya border entry point of Malidahar.
The firmly grounded racket operates around 400 trucks of coal loaded from
East Jaintia Hills district of Khliehriat to Barak Valley and Guwahati without any valid documents in flagrant violation of the order of Supreme Court. Quite stunning is the involvement of the police personnel and local administration as well as Mining and Geology Department of Meghalaya. The officials, politicians and individuals as well as business houses have been named. What happens in Meghalaya is not the concern of the people of Barak Valley, but they are aghast to think that such open illegal trade goes on under saffron government which came to power with the promise to root out corruption.
In fact, Ajit Basumatary made several complaints to the CBI and other departments concerned for inquiry and action against those involved in the scam. Records with the office of the Geology and Mining Dept at Umkiang check gate shows 15,000 entries of coal trucks and at Jatinga check gate 500 entries. At Railways and other places of transit, no records are maintained and available. Since 2015, 5 lakh coal trucks have been carried on illegally in Barak Valley in connivance with police and other departments by taking Rs 80,000 per truck. The representation to Lokayukta mentions customs, GST and sales tax departments as well as brick and cement industries, check gates of Barak and Tripura for promoting the illegal transportation of coal and betel nuts.
Jyoti Lal Chowdhury
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