By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 21: The Justice (retired) BP Katakey-headed single member committee, constituted by the High Court of Meghalaya, has suggested exploring the feasibility of a satellite imagery-aided survey to find out the availability of any further mined coal in the state.
In its 23rd interim report, the committee advised the Secretary of the Mining and Geology Department to submit a report in this regard within a fortnight.
Further, it advised the department to incur the necessary expenses from MEPRF for the survey by NESAC but on the condition that the amount spent would be refunded out of the sales proceed vis-à-vis the sale of further illegally mined coal, if any.
The committee also advised the department to suggest the changes required to be made to the Standard Operating Procedure for the transportation of coal, originating from outside the state, through the state for export to Bangladesh or otherwise, within a fortnight, so that coal illegally mined in Meghalaya cannot be transported to any place in the guise of the coal being mined outside the state.
A few months ago, the committee had received a mail from one C Dkhar and 22 others requesting to direct the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills district to issue transit passes for the transportation of their coal from the pithead to the designated depots.
They claimed that although the coal belonging to them has been reassessed and reverified as well as inventoried by the Deputy Commissioner, they have not been issued transit passes for its transportation to the designated depots.
The committee advised the department and the Deputy Commissioner to make an enquiry into the representation and submit a report within a week.
The interim report also said that the Deputy Commissioners of the districts are required to take appropriate steps for early disposal of the applications filed before the appropriate courts seeking permission for disposal of the seized coal by public auction.
The committee advised the Secretary of the Mining and Geology Department and the Deputy Commissioners of the districts concerned to store the seized coal in centralised depots to avoid pilferage.
The Secretary of the Mining and Geology Department has been also advised to initiate the process of auction of entire reassessed/reverified inventoried coal now available in the CIL depots, other than the already auctioned coal, the successful bidders of which have been granted time for depositing the entire bid amount and to lift the coal.
“The transportation of entire quantity of reassessed/reverified inventoried coal from the pithead to the designated depots, according to the Secretary to the Govt. of Meghalaya, Mining and Geology Department and the Deputy Commissioners or their representatives of the concerned districts, having been completed the aerial survey caused to be conducted by the Meghalaya government to find out the availability of any other mined coal, other than the coal seized under the MMDR Act and reassessed/reverified inventoried coal available in the CIL designated depot, so that any such coal, if found, necessary action including seizure under the provisions of MMDR Act, 1957 could be taken,” the report added.