Banned coal being smuggled through river

BAGHMARA, OCT 27:  Besides smuggling of timber, coal and bamboo the Simsang river, the longest river in Garo hills is now being used by smugglers to smuggle tons of coals during the night into the neighbouring Bangladesh.

After the ban on rat hole coal mining by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) , the smugglers have now add coal to their list of commodity to be smuggled.   In the last three weeks, the BSF deployed at Baghmara has seized several consignments of timber, bamboo and coal from the river Simsang.

A BSF official said about the smuggling,  “The challenge is in the hinterland from where the trees are illegally cut down and the coal is extracted.”

South Garo hills deputy commissioner ( in-charge) TG Momin admitted that illegal transportation of timber, coal and bamboo have been intercepted by BSF in the Simsang riverine route.  He said,”River route for any export is not legal so far, in the state. They (BSF) have the mandate to guard the border. We do request them to intercept illegal transportation of forest produce and other natural resources.”

In October, over 50 tons of coals were seized by the BSF. After the NGT put a ban on mining and transportation of coal in the state, unscrupulous traders explored new ways to illegally transport coal to neigbouring Bangladesh.
BSF officials at Baghmara said , “We have intercepted about six such consignments in October”. Surprisingly not many outside BSF are in the know-how of the riverine route being frequently used by smugglers for transportation of coal.

The modus operandi of the smugglers is quite innovative, they use huge bamboo rafts beneath which bags of coal are tied up. “Usually one person will take the consignments to the other side of the border”, a BSF official revealed.

When asked, why no arrest have been made, the border guard said, “Whenever, we spot them from the river bank, our boys rush using the speed boat. By the time, they start and move, the locals engaged in the trade,  manage to escape taking advantage of the terrain across Simsang.” He also said another reasons is because of the limitations of speed boat as it can’t move in shallow water.- From Our Correspondent