The coal ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) since April 2014 has made a mockery of the Tribunal. On the morning of April 8, those travelling on the Shillong-Guwahati highway witnessed two coal-laden trucks that had turned turtle and spilt the coal in the middle of the road thereby exposing the lies of the state government and its shameless police force. The Supreme Court which is hearing the case ought to be briefed about this serious violation of its orders. In normal circumstances the violation of court orders should have led to the state administrative head and the police chief being hauled up for their inability to implement ban in letter and spirit. But Meghalaya seems to have a reached a state of no return, as far the collapse of law and order is concerned. Serious crimes of murder and arson right from 1979 when a communal frenzy saw many non-tribals uprooted from their hearths and homes and some even being burnt alive or lynched, have reached a dead end. That not a single perpetrator of those heinous crimes has been booked till date tells the story of how difficult it is for anyone to get justice in this state. Police have never been known to be pro-active about solving crime.
The fact that corrupt police personnel that are hand in glove with politicians in furthering their vested interests are allowed to hold important positions also lends credence to the allegations that policing in Meghalaya is never about protecting the citizens but about guarding the interests of the powerful and affluent class. A few who carry out their duties judiciously are soon shunted out to be replaced by pliable ones. So much so that those with the resolve to execute their Constitutional duties are disillusioned and would rather work outside the state. Much has been discussed about the corruption in the police service starting at the entry point. It is true that quite a few state police service officers have come in through political string-pulling. They are visibly feathering their own nests. It is impossible that the coal trucks could move even an inch without the connivance of the police heads in the coal mining districts of East Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and Garo Hills. This is a money-making project for all involved. And it seems that they are unstoppable. The NGT ban has all but failed since it is unable to ensure that its orders are effectively implemented. The bare-faced violation of the ban on coal mining makes Meghalaya a shining example of how the law has been rendered ineffective by law keepers themselves because they are on the payroll of the coal mafia.