SHILLONG : Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday informed the house that there are 2000 cases related illegal coal mining and transportation registered in the past five years in the State .
Stating that illegal coal mining and transportation is a situation that the State has been facing for a long time, the Chief Minister said that in 2014 there were 203 cases, 541 cases in 2015, 117 in 2016, 274 cases in 2017 and 400 cases in 2018.
“It is something we are facing a lot and almost 2000 cases have been filed in the past five years,” he said.
On the steps taken to keep it on check, the Chief Minister said that the State Government has implemented provisions of the MMDR Act sec 21 (4) and it is important as earlier the only provisions was the CRPC Act under which there were just minor provisions such as if individuals were caught small fines would be imposed.