SHILLONG, April 10: In a significant development, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has expressed its inability to provide ten companies of its personnel for deployment in Meghalaya with the sole objective of checking illegal mining and transportation of coal.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday made the announcement while informing reporters that the state government had written to both the Ministry of Home Affairs and CISF following the ruling of the High Court of Meghalaya.
Asserting that it was not a setback, Tynsong claimed that the state police force is well equipped to handle any situation.
“Despite the presence of the police 24X7, criminal activities are still happening. We are trying our best to ensure that illegal mining is stopped at any cost,” Tynsong added.
It may be recalled that the High Court had rejected a state government “blueprint” for the deployment of 160 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to check the illegal mining and transportation of coal and observed that ten companies of CISF should be enough for the purpose.
The full bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justices HS Thangkhiew and W Diengdoh had observed on March 13, 2023, that the government’s plan is “grandiose” as it seeks the deployment of 100 companies of CRPF in the eastern range and 60 companies in the western range. One company consists of 135 personnel.
“Considering the total area in the state and that some remote pockets do not have roads or the menace of illegal mining of coal and its transportation, 10 companies of CISF should be enough to check the vehicles and completely arrest the illegal transportation of coal,” the court said.
In another order on March 20, the court had asked the CISF to indicate within a fortnight as to how its deployment can be ensured within four weeks in order to check illegal transportation of coal in the state.
Observing that the selection of personnel, arrangement of even temporary accommodation and the like may require some time, the Court had expressed hope that a disciplined force as the CISF would indicate within a fortnight (from March 20) as to how deployment on the ground can be ensured within four weeks.
