Illegal coal mining denuding Dehing Patkai National Park; satellite images show

Guwahati, Jan. 21: In a startling revelation that makes a complete mockery of the existing security mechanism of Dehing Patkai National Park, illegal coal mining is denuding pristine rainforests inside the protected area.

Satellite imagery and photographs accessed by The Assam Tribune lay bare how illegal mining by the coal mafia has been going on inside the supposedly safe precincts of the park, which accounts for the State's only sizeable stretch of biodiversity-rich rainforests.

A comparison of satellite imagery from 2018 to 2025 shows that illegal mining inside the national park intensified 2021 onwards. Other recent visuals also corroborate the presence of coal dumps in the area.

The area in question falls in the Dirok part of the national park, which lies close to the inter-State border with Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about the developments, Ranjith Ram, DFO, Digboi Division, said that some forest clearing had taken place in December 2022 but sought to deny any coal mining inside the national park.

"From our records, the forest land was cleared by people from Kutum Basti border village of Arunachal Pradesh for starting jhum cultivation (shifting cultivation) in the area. Immediately our forest personnel acted and no change in the landscape has happened since. There was no collection of coal either from that area then. We had also seized a chain saw," he said, adding that a meeting with the village headman was held to sensitize the villagers on the issue.

"The situation is now normal. We also did joint patrolling with Margherita police and Margherita forest range office recently," he said.

However, photographs of coal dumps taken this month make the sinister happenings inside the park clear.

Countering the forest authorities' claims, conservationist Mridupaban Phukon said that the satellite imagery and photographs have clearly exposed the ongoing coal mining inside the national park.

"This is an extremely disturbing situation, as pinpointed by satellite imagery and photographs in every detail. In spite of its upgrading to a national park three-and-a-half years back, the park continues to grapple with coal mining and logging due to the laxity of the forest department. Apparently, the coal mafia is taking advantage of the negligence of the authorities," he said.

Illegal mining has been going on across some other contiguous forests of the national park as well-something revealed by satellite imagery. Although outside the national park, these areas form the larger Dehing Patkai belt comprising the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve.

Ranjith said that a forest battalion of 250 guards had been patrolling many areas of the national park. "We have more personnel in our disposal but the battalion will leave soon and we are trying to retain some 100 guards. The Government has also cleared a proposal for setting up a camp in the border area," he added.

Since 2020, the Dehing Patkai rainforests have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Following revelations of illegal coal mining by Coal India Limited, a Government of India undertaking at Saleki area, large-scale illegalities including illegal mining by the coal mafia and logging also surfaced, forcing the Assam Government to institute a judicial inquiry into coal mining.

The Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary was officially notified as a national park with area addition on June 9, 2021.

"The declaration of the national park with area addition was a welcome step but subsequent developments have shown that the Government has accorded a rather shabby treatment to this biodiversity-rich national park," conservationist Phukon, who has documented the Dehing Patkai landscape, rued.

- By Sivasish Thakur