Coal Resources in North-East

As per the latest inventory of Geological Resources of Coal in India by the Geological Survey of India, 1471 Million Tonnes of Geological Resources of coal have so far been estimated in the NE region. Of this, 388, Million Tonnes are in Assam and 576 Milliion Tonnes in Meghalaya. In Assam three opencast mines viz., Tirap OC, Tikak OC and Ledo OC are in operation under North Eastern Coalfields Limited (NEC) of Coal India Limited (CIL). In Meghalaya, coal is being produced by the local people as per the extant customary and tribal land rights.

In the state of Assam, five more new opencast mines viz. Lekhapani OC, Tikak Extension OC, Tipong OC, PQ Block OC and Lachitkhani OC are proposed to be opened. In Meghalaya, the only lease held by NEC, CIL is Simsang, which had expired in 2008 and its renewal is yet to be received from the State of Meghalaya. In the absence of renewal of lease in the state of Meghalaya, at present no more mines has been planned to be opened by NEC, CIL.