SHILLONG, Nov 5: The Justice (retd) BP Katakey-headed one-man commission on Tuesday finalised the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the transportation of coal brought from outside the state as well as coal transported to Bangladesh through the state.
The SOP is aimed at thwarting the illegal transportation of locally-mined coal which is shown as coal sourced from outside.
The state government had suggested minor changes in the earlier SOP and the matter was discussed during Tuesday’s meeting.
Katakey told reporters the meeting did not have any positive outcome apart from the finalisation of SOP.
“The government suggested a few changes in the earlier SOP and the same was placed before me today. We didn’t see much difference between the SOP finalised earlier and the one suggested, except for some typos. There was a mention of a ‘neighbouring country’ instead of Bangladesh,” he said.
He also said that he suggested the secretary of Mining and Geology department should be a part of the decision-making process in the SOP.
“We finalised the SOP relating to coal brought from outside to Meghalaya and also for export to Bangladesh through Meghalaya,” Katakey said, adding, “We have laid down certain guidelines which are to be followed…”
Giving an insight into the SOP, he said, “They have to produce all relevant documents of the source of coal. There has to be a certificate issued by the authority concerned of that state about the legal source of procurement.”
He said the transporters will be required to produce documents at the integrated check gates in Meghalaya and they will be given a designated route to take the coal to the destination. “If any truck carrying coal is found to be deviating from the designated route, the coal will be seized and treated as illegally-mined,” Katakey said.
Stating that the photo copies of the documents will also have to be produced at the exit gates, he said, “Both the entry and the exit points will compare the documents and thereafter, they will be allowed to proceed. They are required to apply to the secretary of Mining and Geology department seven days prior to transportation of coal from outside to the state or through the state giving the details”.
“They will be also required to give an affidavit that they will abide by all the conditions of the SOP and in case of breaking down of vehicles, they have to immediately inform the jurisdictional police station or outpost and change of vehicles,” he added.
On his earlier report of illegally-mined coal used by power generation plants of cement factories, Katakey said, “An enquiry is going on. In my earlier report submitted as part of NGT committee, I found the use of illegally-mined coal by the power generation plants and for which, in one of my reports, I mentioned the realisation of certain amounts from those cement plants. The matter is now sub-judice.”
He said he directed the Meghalaya government to verify their source of coal from time to time, whether it is legally sourced coal brought from outside or purchased from auction process conducted by the Coal India Limited.
Talking about the audit on the source of coal for coke oven and cement plants, he said the process is ongoing and the commission is expecting to finalise the details within a month.
Katakey said some coke plants have already paid GST while two others have requested to pay it in six instalments. He said the commission has recommended to the government to allow it.
