Garo Hills to export coal to Bangla soon

TURA, Dec 26 — Coal export from Garo Hills to Bangladesh which was supposed to take off from early October is likely to begin any day now. The export of coal from Gasuapara coal export point in South Garo Hills was hampered due to threats by militants of the banned ANVC who wanted a cut. The militants are believed to have demanded 25 lakh rupees as ‘tax’ for the export which is alleged to have been paid by the coal dealers’ association of Gasuapara. Peoples Liberation Front (PLF), another militant group, has also demanded over one crore from the exporters as ‘tax’ Coal from Nangalbibra is supplied to Masighat depot from where it moves to Gasuapara export point. Last year, due to militant threats more than five hundred coal-laden trucks could not move from Masighat. The militants had set fire to a truck due to failure by the exporters to pay up. This time the South Garo Hills police is providing armed escort for the coal truck convoy to prevent any strike by the militants. Good quality coal from Nangalbibra and Rongsa A’we is exported to Bangladesh where it has highly sought after.

Last year approximately three lakh metric tonnes of coal were exported to Bangladesh from Gasuapara exporting point. With the coal season at its peak militancy is one again raising its ugly head. As a first move ANVC militants kidnapped the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Rongara in November, this year. The BDO happened to be a close friend of Meghalaya Home Minister, Lotsing A Sangma. The militants left a message with the BDO at the time of his release, demanding from the government the removal of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn) platoon posted at Rewak. The platoon has been doing a commendable job in containing militancy in the area since October. Rewak is centrally locate for the movement of militants as one can more through the dense forests upto East Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, or Balpakram national park.