Ban takes toll on illegal coal trade in Bokaro

14 November 2016

The demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes had its repercussions on the illegal coal trade of coal belt region. Thousands of poor workers who are seen on the national and state highways ferrying illegally excavated coal on their bicycles, mostly from abandoned mines to urban areas, vanished from the scene on Thursday.

Tonnes of coal are excavated through illegal mining from closed mines or forest land in rural areas of the district. Apart from fulfilling coal requirements of roadside eateries or dhabhas, hotels, brick kilns and other furnace based industries locally, the illegal coal is also smuggled to West Bengal and other states through trucks.

Gomia, Nawadih, Petarwar and Chandankyari areas are popular destination for this unlawful business.

Chandankyari is the last block of the state shares its border with Purulia district of West Bengal. The coal mafia of both Jharkhand and West Bengal run this illegal trade jointly here.

Sources said the workers ferry illegal coal to Purulia border on bicycles and motorbikes everyday through Chandankyari, despite claims of police alertness. In a single trip, a worker on the bicycle carries 4-5 quintals of illegal coal, and earns Rs 150 per sack approximately, mostly paid with Rs 500 currency notes.

The illegal coal traders are now finding it difficult to circulate the cash following the ban.

Shyam Rajwar, a coal worker who ferries coal on bicycle in Chandankyari, said he didn’t take coal today because Rs 500 note was declared an illegal tender. “Most buyers paid Rs 500 currency notes for the coal delivered by us, which is worthless now. We do this business without providing money receipt. How shall we change that old currency note now? It is better to wait and watch for few days.”

Source – ET