SHILLONG, Jan 20: Meghalaya Lokayukta has requested the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) to submit an action taken report on the illegal transportation of coal before the anti-graft panel.
Opposition leader Mukul Sangma had, a few days ago, written to the Chief Secretary complaining about the continuous illegal coal mining and transportation in the state. The copy of the letter was also marked to the Lokayukta while a Garo Hills resident had filed an FIR over the illegal coal mining and transportation in the state. “I have requested the DGP to send the action taken report from the officer-in-charge concerned,” Lokayukta chairperson, PK Mushahary, said on Tuesday.
He said that he does not have enough material to issue any order into the matter and he has not registered any case. “I will consider any action after receiving the report from the police,” he added.
Mushahary also said that it is the duty of the police to register a case whenever a complaint is made and not registering a case was illegal.
Earlier, Mukul Sangma had, in his petition to the Chief Secretary, alleged that illegal coal mining was still taking place in violation of the MMDR Act 1957 as well as the National Green Tribunal’s ban on illegal coal mining.
The issue of illegal mining and transportation of coal has haunted the National People’s Party-led MDA government since it took over charge. The government has been facing allegations by political parties and civil society groups.
Even the BJP, an MDA constituent, has attacked the state government time and again over the issue of illegal coal mining and transportation in the state and had even asked for a CBI probe into the matter.
The state government has been rejecting these allegations.
