By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 6: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police, Jagpal Singh Dhanoa to be present personally before the court at 10:30 am on December 11 (the next date of hearing) and submit his clarification on the 18th interim report filed by Justice (retired) BP Katakey which noticed dumping of huge quantities of “freshly-mined” coal by the side of National Highway 6 near Don Bosco junction as well as behind the Don Bosco College (former St. Anthony’s College) in Byndihati village in the district.
The single-member inquiry committee had sought for a report from the East Jaintia Hills deputy commissioner, which was to be furnished within one week, as to how such illegal coal mining activities could continue.
Pursuant to the 18th interim report, the government filed a status report, indicating the steps taken on the suggestions made by the committee. The status report mentions that an FIR has been filed at Khliehriat police station and that the officials of the Directorate of Mineral Resources, Umkiang check gate, have accessed the quantity of the coal to be about 4900.20 metric tonnes.
The state submitted that the said coal dump (at Byndihati) belongs to one Mul Sympli (NGT Serial No. 1049, co-ordinates 25.3249 degrees North Latitude, 92.373775 degrees East Longitude), and that the quantity accessed by the Magistrate in 2019, was 4800 metric tonnes, and that as per the verification and reassessment, as on August 25, 2023, is 4790 metric tonnes, and as such, is part of inventoried coal and not illegally mined coal.
The court, however, observed that as per the information furnished by the Investigating Officer to the East Jaintia Hills DC on November 21, 2023, the co-ordinates with regard to the said coal dump in the FIR was 25.3326445 degrees North Latitude and 92.3734301 degrees East Longitude, which does not match the earlier co-ordinates of the coal dump of the said miner (Mul Sympli).
“This finding, coupled with the remarks in the 18th interim report, are indeed alarming, and points out to a larger picture of illegal mining still being indulged in with impunity, inspite of the orders of the Supreme Court, NGT and directives of this Court,” the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice HS Thangkhiew and Justice W Diengdoh said.
According to the court, “The fact that the coal dump is located in a prominent location i.e. behind the Don Bosco College, Byndihati, speaks volumes about the manner of discharge of duties by the officials concerned, especially the head of police administration in the district, i.e. the Superintendent of Police, for which an explanation is called for.”
“As the Single Member Committee has sought a report, and as it has been informed by the Advocate General that the report has since been furnished, the court would await the further report of the Single Member Committee,” the order added.