Committee submits 27th interim report to High Court of Meghalaya
SHILLONG, Feb 11: Illegal coal mining activities continue unabated in the six coal-producing districts of Meghalaya, the Justice (retired) BP Katakey-headed single-member committee said in its 27th interim report which was submitted to the High Court of Meghalaya.
The report, compiled following drone videography and volumetric assessment of coal, other than coal inventoried by a private firm engaged by the state government, provides fresh evidence of unauthorised mining despite earlier seizures under the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act 1957 (MMDR).
Katakey said the state government submitted a report in the court in compliance with the order dated 07/09/2022, mentioning about seizure of 92,268.43 MT of coal in East Jaintia Hills, South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills districts between May and August, 2022.
He said the private firm subsequently found the availability of 41,477.54 MT of coal, other than the inventoried coal, in East Jaintia Hills, South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills districts, which has been already recorded by the committee in its 11th Interim report dated 24/02/2023.
“The report submitted to the committee by the Mining and Geology Department, Govt. of Meghalaya on 04/02/2025, pursuant to the decision taken in the proceeding held on 28/01/2025, reveals availability of 4,10,796.4403 MT coal seized under the provisions of the MMDR Act in East Jaintia Hills, South Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Garo Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts,” Katakey stated in the report.
The report also said that no illegally-mined coal, other than the reassessed/re-verified inventoried coal, was found to be available in West Jaintia Hills, East Garo Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts as mentioned in the compliance report submitted by the state government before the High Court and also the report of the mapping of the districts done by means of drone videography as stated in the 11th interim report.
Katakey said 1,69,378.12 MT, 189.48 MT and 34.75 MT of illegally-mined coal was thereafter found in West Jaintia Hills, East Garo Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts respectively, totalling 1,69,602.35 MT, as it appears from the report dated 04/02/2025 submitted before the committee by the Mining and Geology Department, Government of Meghalaya.
“The aforementioned information, therefore, aptly establishes the continued mining of coal in the said districts after conduct of mapping of the districts by means of drone videography and volumetric assessment of coal, other than inventoried coal, as done by the private firm engaged by the state government,” he added.
He further stated, “Similarly, the State Govt. though had found 67,525 MT, 18,014.43 MT and 6730 MT of illegally-mined coal in East Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills districts respectively, as mentioned in the report submitted by the State Govt. in compliance of the order dated 07/09/2022, presently i.e., as on 04/02/2025, according to the report submitted by the Mining and Geology Department to the Committee, 72,419.1753 MT, 1,39,886.43 MT and 28,888.485 MT coal seized under the MMDR Act, 1957 is found to be available in East Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills districts respectively.”
“Thus, in the said 3 districts itself, 1,48,925.66 MT of illegally-mined coal is found additionally after submission of the aforesaid report by the State Govt before this Court in compliance of the order dated 07/09/2022, which also establishes the factum of continued illegal coal mining activities in the said 3 districts,” he said.
He added, “Illegal coal mining activities are continuing, for which a huge quantity of coal i.e., 41,0796.4403 MT was seized and presently available, as against 92,268.43 MT seized by the appropriate authority under the MMDR Act, 1957, as reflected in the aforesaid report submitted by the State Govt. before this Court in compliance of the order dated 07/09/2022.”