SHILLONG: Trucks without number plates are carrying coal illegally in the state hoodwinking the authorities in East Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi districts even as an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is in place.
Though cases of illegal extraction and transportation of coal were reported in the past, authorities are yet to adopt a comprehensive mechanism to check the trend.
Soon after the ban on coal mining, the NGT had appointed commissioners to carry out regular inspection and it also asked the state government to deploy central forces to enforce the ban. The short tenure of commissioners and lack of adequate security forces were the hurdles to fully enforce the ban.
When asked about such unabated illegal transportation, East Jaintia Hills police said they are aggressive about checking trucks passing through the district.
East Jaintia Hills SP Sylvester Nongtnger said at present, coal transportation will be allowed till May 31 and the district police are ensuring that everything is done according to the NGT order.
However, the police official said the issue of checking challans is the responsibility of the Directorate of Mineral Resources and the Transport Department.
Fake challans were recovered in Garo Hills recently and an FIR was also filed.
A large number of coal trucks have been seized in Ri Bhoi, which is the closest to Assam, in the last few months. SP Spill Thamar said an integrated 24-hour check post is functioning at Shangbangla. DMR officials, transport and police personnel are stationed there.
Thamar informed that two trucks were detained on Wednesday evening during a surprise check in the district. “We will do whatever it takes to see that everything is as per the NGT order,” said Thamar.
