Coal nexus: BJP panel seeks more time to submit report

SHILLONG, March 9: The State BJP’s fact-finding committee on coal illegalities, led by party vice president Bernard N Marak, has requested an extension from the party leadership to submit its report on alleged illegal coal mining and transportation activities in Meghalaya.
The committee, initially given 40 days to gather evidence, has now requested an additional two weeks due to disruptions caused by recent elections.
The investigation involves on-the-ground inspections and consultations with civil society groups, whose inputs are also being incorporated.
The completed report will first be submitted to the State BJP head office and, as per protocol, forwarded to the central leadership in Delhi.
This move comes amid the party’s intensified push to “expose” the scale of illegal coal mining and transportation in the state.
Marak pointed to recent revelations made by Justice (retired) BP Katakey’s one-man committee, which is tasked with ensuring the state government complies with the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directives on coal mining.
His comments sharpened the BJP’s attack on the ruling state government, accusing it of indifference toward illegal mining activities that continue unchecked.