‘Time to find out how 18 MT coal vanished’

SHILLONG, July 27: Justice Brojendra Prasad Katakey, a retired judge appointed by the High Court of Meghalaya to ascertain whether the government cracked down on illegal coal mining, has sought the initiation of the process of finding out how 18 lakh metric tonnes of coal disappeared from the state.
Speaking to media persons after holding a meeting with the Mining and Geology Department on Thursday, Justice Katakey said, “In its affidavit in the Supreme Court, the government said there is 32 lakh MT of coal. The Committee of DCs says there is 19 lakh MT while the drone service says there is 14 lakh MT. Where has the coal disappeared?”
The fact remains that there is 32 lakh MT of coal in the state, he added.
Justice Katakey said the apex court in its verdict said the state would be the custodian of the 32 lakh MT of coal and it is thus the state’s responsibility to protect the quantity of coal.
He said coal is still being transported illegally in the state going by what he saw in the Shallang area. “There was a huge quantity of coal in May but not in March,” he said.
On the government’s continuous denial that coal was being transported illegally, Justice Katakey said the police would not have registered cases if there was no transportation.
He said about 20,000-21,000 MT of seized coal is lying at the Gasuapara Land Customs Station in South Garo Hills and he has asked the Mining Department to assess the seized quantity there.
To a question, he said no material has been placed before him to indicate the involvement of politicians in illegal coal mining and transportation.
In keeping with a High Court of Meghalaya order, Justice Katakey is inquiring if any administrative or police officer is involved in the illegal business.
He said the state currently has about 3.5 lakh MT of coal available for auction in coal depots and a further 1.5 MT will arrive in the next 10 days, taking the total auction-ready quantity to 5 lakh Mt in a couple of weeks.
He said 39 chimneys of illegal coke plants have been demolished in the Shallang area in the West Khasi Hills district. The remaining illegal coke plants are being demolished, he said.
The chimneys of at least five coke plants in the East Khasi Hills district were demolished before an interim order from the Supreme Court stayed the drive, he said. “There are more than 60 illegal coke plants in the state. These factories cannot operate until and unless they have the consent to establish and consent to operate,” he said.