Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh unit of BJP has alleged that the state government has been loosing hundred crores annually in the tune of royalty and taxes from Namchik Nampok coal fields under Changlang district of the state.
Addressing media persons here on Saturday, former MP and BJP’s national general secretary Tapir Gao said that the state government has been loosing approximately Rs 200 to 400 crore as royalty from coal marketing sector.
Coal production started in Namchik Namphok area in 2007 as par records.
Informing media about the scam, Gao said that the union ministry of coal had been awarded a coal block to state undertaking firm the Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Limited (APMDTCL) for coal production and marketing from Namchik Namphok coal fields with an estimated production of 2 lakh tons per year.
However, the illegal extracting from the coal field was more than three to four times of the actual norm given by the Ministry, he alleged.
Interestingly, the state government had been authorized a Tinsukia based private company – National Coal Mining (NCM) for mining of coal on behalf of APMDTCL, he said.
Moreover, the private company had also been authorized even for marketing on behalf of APMDTCL which was totally illegal and violation of guidelines framed by the Coal ministry, the BJP alleged.
Namchik and Namphok was famous for A and B category of coal as par assessment report conducted by the group of scientists from Jorhat while, entire coal extracted from the mines was marketed in northern Indian states as B and C category for evading tax and royalties, Gao said, adding it was not only loss of state’s exchequer but, also illegal because a private company never allowed to market coal as per central government norms.
After smelling foul play in coal sector in the state, the Home ministry had directed the state chief secretary through a letter issued on May 15 last for suspension of entire mining operations from Namchik Namphok coal block allocated to APMDTCL due to deeply involvement of insurgent groups in the illegal coal mining.
The party will file a PIL in the court after collecting more information in this regard by the members of BJP’s vigilance cell. The team will visit the area soon, Gao added. (UNI)