GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has sought the coordinates of the areas where coal mining operations in an eastern Assam elephant reserve were resumed in March after almost a two-year gap.
The North Eastern Coalfields (NEC), a unit of Coal India Limited, had in June 2020 suspended operations in Tinsukia district’s Tikak open cast project following reports of illegal mining in forestlands and protests over its impact on the 111.19 sq. km Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary, a subtropical rainforest that was upgraded to a national park in June 2021.
The national park is part of the nebulous 937 sq. km Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve that includes the British-era collieries, oil refinery town Digboi and numerous tea estates.
