The Forest Department of Assam Government has slapped apenalty of Rs. 43.25 crore on Coal India Ltd for carrying out illegal mining insidea reserve forest for 16 years from 2003. The forest department has slapped thepenalty for carrying out mining inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve,which straddles Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

The department has also filed an FIR at the Sub-Divisional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Margherita in Tinsukia district against officials responsible for the alleged illegal activity in around 73 hectares of land inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve forest between 2003 and 2019.