GUWAHATI, Nov 10: Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi on Tuesday alleged that illegal coal transport continued in Assam despite his complaints to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, senior police officers and district officials.
Addressing a press conference at the MLA Hostel in Dispur, Gogoi alleged that the police and administration were being run by syndicate and mafia groups rather than by law. He called Sarma the “mafia boss” and alleged that syndicates collected money from the transport of coal, betel nut, timber and cattle.
Gogoi said he saw around 40 to 42 coal-laden trucks parked near the Jhanji river on National Highway 37 in his constituency. The trucks had come from Meghalaya and were headed for Tuli in Nagaland, he said. He said he informed the chief minister, Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, the director general of police, ADGP Hiren Nath, the chief secretary, and deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of Sivasagar, Jorhat and Charaideo districts.
He alleged that, instead of seizing the trucks, police personnel escorted some of them towards the Meghalaya border. Gogoi also alleged that after coal transport through West Bengal faced restrictions, transporters planned to route Meghalaya coal through Jorabat, Jagiroad, Nagaon, Kaziranga, Dergaon, Sivasagar, Nazira and Halowating to Tuli or Lakwa railway stations.
Gogoi named several individuals, including ministers and MLAs, while alleging their involvement in a coal transport syndicate. He also alleged that seized betel nut was bought at auctions and transported again through Assam. He said he was preparing a detailed memorandum for the Prime Minister on alleged syndicate operations, illegal collections, and the role of the police and administration.
The MLA also raised the condition of flood-hit families in Sivasagar. He alleged that no affected family had received due compensation. He also said damaged roads had not been repaired and flood-hit families were yet to receive adequate assistance.
