SHILLONG, May 21: The state government, which has drawn the ire of the High Court of Meghalaya for its lackadaisical attitude in dealing with the menace of illegal mining and transportation of coal, has issued a new set of directions for coal-mine owners for disposing of around 8.15 lakh metric tonnes of reassessed coal.
A notification issued by Ethelbert Kharmalki, Secretary, Mining and Geology Department, has said that the total coal stock that has been reassessed/re-inventoried by means of drone survey, physical verification or combination of both, during the year 2022 – 2023 has been found to be 14,10,710.41 metric tonnes.
“Out of the 14,10,710.41 MT of coal, a total volume of 5,95,323.775 MT has already been auctioned by Coal India Limited (CIL) and the process of lifting, transportation etc., from designated depots is in progress. The balance quantity of 8,15,386.635 MT of coal will have to be put to auction within the timeline specified,” the notification states.
The department has, through the notification, directed all the coal-mine owners whose stock has been re-inventoried or re-assessed have to apply for transit pass with the respective deputy commissioner, in order to transport such coal from the mine/pit to the designated CIL depots.
“If any coal dump is found to be lying outside the re-inventoried list and specified co-ordinates, the same shall be seized and appropriate action will be taken against the owner under relevant provisions of the MMDR Act, 1957. In case no coal or volume lower than the reassessed coal of a particular coal owner is detected, necessary action shall be initiated against the said coal owner as per relevant provisions of the MMDR Act, 1957,” the notification states.
