SHILLONG, Jan 14: Hitting out at the state government on the issue of illegal coal mining and its transportation, the Congress has demanded that the government enforce various Sub-Sections of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957 to thwart the illegality and punish the perpetrators of the crime.
In a letter to Chief Secretary MS Rao, the leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma claimed that illegal coal mining is still taking place in violation of the MMDR Act and the ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal on illegal coal mining.
“It is imperative to enforce Sub-Section (1) of the Section 21 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 in relation to Sub-Section (6) of Section 21 of MMDR Act, 1957 to prevent further illegal coal mining and its transportation thereof and punishment of the perpetrators of the crime as per the law; and initiate legal proceedings as per the relevant provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 to protect the interest of the state,” he wrote in the letter.
Recalling his visit to Khliehrangnah, Shangpung, West Jaintia Hills on October 28, 2019, he said, “Upon arrival at the site, as led by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and the Divisional Mining Officer (DMO) of Jowai, coal dumped in a scattered manner was found and the site indicated that recently-mined coal, apparently carried by siding trucks or dumper trucks, was dumped in a number of depots/dumping grounds.”
He said the truckloads were counted jointly by the DC and the DMO in the presence of the team, led by him, and an official document, indicating the number of truckloads and duly signed on the spot by both the DC and the DMO, was handed over to him.
“The total quantity counted was 1,064 truckloads and each must be in the range of 12 to 16 MT. This reveals that the actual quantity was less than 20,000 MT, while the enquiry report of the DMO dated June 2, 2020 indicated is 1,41,000 MT (approximately) as per the figure available in the copy of the replies to RTI enclosed in the representation submitted to you by SN Marak,” Sangma wrote.
He said the report indicated that the excess coal, illegally lifted and transported, disappeared resulting in serious loss of revenue to the government.
He said the same instance of illegality in respect to illegal coal mining and transportation of illegally-mined coal without any royalty to the government was brought to the notice of the government through press briefing and also in course of proceedings on the floor of the House during the last Assembly Session in November, 2020.
“The silence of the government in this regard and its refusal to act is against the interest of the state,” Sangma said.
He said the findings on the spot in respect of quantity of illegally-mined coal proved, beyond any doubt, that the coal, earlier dumped at the said location, was illegally transported without payment of royalty, cess, etc.
“It is to be noted that the scale and magnitude of illegality committed with such an ease cannot have happened without well-planned abetment of the offences,” he added.