Journalists Involved in Coal Mining Syndicate in Assam's Margherita: Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi

Margherita, October 2, 2019:

Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi has alleged that a few local journalists charge one lakh rupees for each worker who dies in the rat hole mines.

In his latest statement, Bordoloi has exposed the role of local journalists in the ongoing coal syndicate issue in Assam’s Tinsukia district. “I don’t want to take names but there are one-two journalists in Ledo and Margherita who take contract to suppress the death incidents of workers in rathole mines. They charge Rs. 1 lakh in exchange of hiding each death incident,” he said.

He also alleged that local Police are involved and support them. He added that they provide protection to the wrongdoers.

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Citing the instance of the Nana Patekar-starring Bollywood movie, Ab Tak Chhappan, Bordoloi said, “The journalists keep an eye on how many have died in the mines. They charge accordingly - one lakh for one death.”

He further added that Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has a major role in conducting the ongoing coal syndicate. “Coal issue is happening under CM’s patronage. Otherwise, none would have dared to let the syndicate happen. Sonowal visits Tinsukia every 15 days, instead of visiting Majuli, his home constituency. He does not even travel to his hometown, Dibrugarh.”

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The Congress MP has urged that a team of local people, naturalists and media persons be formed, and it should visit the neighboring rainforests to take stock of the environmental damage that the Assam government has done over the past two years.

“The satellite imagery captured by the Indian Remote Sensing Agency should be released. They should publish images during 2001-16 and compare those with the ones taken during July 2016-September 2019. Things will be crystal clear then.”

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Pradyut Bordoloi has been discussing at length regarding the environmental degradation caused by coal mining and alleged that CM Sonowal has been extending his support to the coal mining syndicate in the state. He has even questioned the police inaction on hundreds of FIRs filed by Coal India Limited, and other government organizations.

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