ST REPORT IMPACT
SHILLONG, Feb 23: The division bench of the High Court of Meghalaya has taken suo motu cognizance of a report published in The Shillong Times on Wednesday on illegal rat-hole
mining in Nengchigen village in West Khasi Hills and has directed the Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police to visit the site and file an independent report within a week.
“It is made clear that the matter complained of needs to be looked into, without any political interference; or else, the Court may be constrained to appoint a fact-finding committee or even put a special investigation team in place or take the assistance of some agency so that the matter is appropriately and thoroughly investigated in accordance with law and the persons involved are brought to book,” the order said.
The division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said for several months it has been widely reported, inter alia, in the newspapers regarding illegal coal mining.
The court said that an article has been published in The Shillong Times on Wednesday with the heading “Mask of rat-hole mining falls in state.” “The correspondent has given a detailed description of how he was taken to a particular village in the West Khasi Hills District bordering the South Garo Hills District. A photograph has also been published in the newspaper to highlight the “rat-hole mining” that is being indulged in a widespread manner”, the court said.
“It also appears from the relevant article and other newspaper reports that a complaint has been lodged in such regard by the Nokma of Nengchigen village against certain persons, including the police, alleging widespread illegal mining of coal within the clan lands.
The division bench said that it is imperative that the matter be immediately looked into and stated that an independent report should be filed by the Chief Secretary to the State and the DGP when this matter appears a week hence, preferably, upon visiting the areas.
According to the court’s order, both the Chief Secretary and the DGP will be free to take the assistance of the relevant correspondent of The Shillong Times who visited the area and has described the entire scenario in great detail in the article published on Wednesday.
Additional Advocate General B Bhattacharjee, who was present on behalf of the state, has been called upon by the court to immediately communicate this order to the appropriate personnel.
“The matter requires immediate, serious attention. List on March 2, 2022”, the order said.