Shillong, Dec 22: The opposition Congress has reiterated its demand for an independent probe into the alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.

“An independent inquiry should be constituted so that facts should come out. As of now the state is becoming poorer because there is maximum revenue leakage from coal, limestone…,” MPCC working president PN Syiem told reporters on Tuesday.

“Ask any common man in the coal belt areas, it is not a secret that extraction of coal is rampant,” he added.

He alleged that hundreds of trucks are plying during night time without any challan.

Syiem said that he fully agrees with the recent findings of the Amicus appointed by the Meghalaya High Court that illegal mining of coal is rampant across the state.

“We hope the MDA government will take this issue very seriously as it will affect the revenue of the state,” he said.