SHILLONG, Dec 3: The one-man committee of retired Judge BP Katakey, in its 26th interim report, asked the Meghalaya government to find out the reason behind not mentioning the quantum of coal allowed to be brought from outside the state, thereby giving an undue advantage to transporters to ferry unlimited quantity of coal.
It also asked the government to take appropriate action after the probe.
“Initiation of an administrative inquiry by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya for finding out the reason for not mentioning the quantum of coal allowed to be brought from the outside the State of Meghalaya in the order dated 08/12/2022 issued by the Mining and Geology Department, Government of Meghalaya and also relating to the extension of the period of transportation by the then Deputy Commissioner, South Garo Hills district and to take appropriate administrative action with intimation to the Committee,” Justice Katakey said in the report.
“Strict compliance of the provisions of Meghalaya Mineral (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and storage) Rules, 2022 and the SoP, 2024, notified on 05/11/2024, while approving bringing the coal originated outside the State of Meghalaya to Meghalaya or to export such coal to Bangladesh through Meghalaya or to any other States of India,” the report said.
“Such approval granted must specifically mention the quantity of coal permitted to be brought from outside the State of Meghalaya for the aforesaid purpose and also the time limit within which the transportation of coal reached its final destination /passed through designated Land Custom Station (LCS),” it added.
“In no circumstances neither the quantity of coal approved to be brought from outside the State nor the time limit set for transportation of coal shall be allowed to be extended by any other authority other than the appropriate authority in Mining and Geology Department of Govt. of Meghalaya,” the report added.
The report also revealed that the committee found discrepancies in the November 19 DMR report and the aforementioned departmental files. It stated that the grant of approval by the Mining and Geology Department was on December 8, 2022, to export coal originating from outside Meghalaya to Bangladesh through Dalu and Gasuapara LCSs without specifying the quantity of coal allowed to be exported, though the applicant (George S. Marak) in his application to the DMR dated October 12, 2022, DMR, sought permission for bringing 3,352.6 MT of coal from outside.
According to the report, the order amounts to giving an undue advantage to transport an unlimited quantity of coal to Meghalaya and export the same to Bangladesh.
“The Mining and Geology Department, Govt. of Meghalaya, on the other hand, has allowed the other persons, namely, Katman T Sangma, IH Ventures, and Satish Roy to bring a specified quantity of coal from outside the State of Meghalaya for export to Bangladesh, vide orders dated 08/02/2024, 03/01/2023 and 06/12/2023, respectively,” the report pointed out.
The report also said the period for transportation of coal allowed to be brought from outside Meghalaya to the state and/or to export to Bangladesh by the said order dated December 8, 2022, was extended to January 7, 2023. However, it was again extended without obtaining any prior approval from the Mining and Geology Department although the 2022 SOP requires the grant of approval from the department.
It pointed out that the transportation of 33,707.75 MT of coal originating from outside the state through Dainadubi DMR check-gate from January 10-31, 2023, was beyond the time allowed by taking undue advantage of the orders passed by the then Deputy Commissioner of the South Garo Hills district and the order of the Mining and Geology Department on December 8, 2022.
The report said that George S Marak was allowed to export coal brought from outside the state after the expiry of the period of transportation approved by the Mining and Geology Department and export the same to Bangladesh, taking undue advantage of the orders extending the period of transportation passed by the DC of the South Garo Hills district, without the approval of the Mining and Geology Department.
