Our Bureau
NEW DELHI/SHILLONG, April 3: Shillong MP from VPP, Ricky AJ Syngkon on Thursday raised the issue of Meghalaya’s illegal coal mining in Parliament, accusing the “high level” and the government of failing to check the problem.
He cited The Shillong Times’ report on the Justice (retired) B.P. Katakey-led committee detecting 1.92 lakh metric tonnes of illegal coal to raise the matter during the Zero Hour.
Syngkon reminded the House that the National Green Tribunal imposed a ban on mining and transportation of coal in Meghalaya in April 2014. “However, it is very unfortunate that even today, a group of people known in the state as ‘high level’ have continuously and blatantly violated this ban, and the government machinery, which is supposed to ensure the enforcement of this ban, has miserably failed,” he said.
“A leading newspaper of Meghalaya, The Shillong Times, reported that more than 1.92 lakh metric tonnes of illegal coal have been detected,” he said, quoting the report based on Justice Katakey’s press conference in Shillong.
The illegal coal was detected in four districts of Meghalaya during an aerial survey, casting doubts on the state government’s claim of having cracked down on illegal coal mining and transportation. Justice Katakey, who heads the committee appointed by the High Court of Meghalaya, told media persons that an area of about 740 sq. km was surveyed aerially based on the coordinates of the inventoried coal found earlier.
The retired judge said the aerial survey report has been submitted, and the purpose behind the exercise was to locate coal other than the inventoried quantity shifted to the designated depots of Coal India Limited (CIL). The coal found in the East Jaintia, South West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, and South Garo Hills districts during the survey was estimated to be a little more than 1.92 lakh MT beyond the inventoried coal.
The committee asked the authorities concerned to furnish certain clarifications. Making it clear that coal found beyond the CIL’s designated depots is illegal, Justice Katakey said he has asked the DC, SP, and the departments concerned in the four districts to be vigilant about the availability of more coal than the 1.92 lakh MT surveyed.
The one-man committee will now scrutinise the report, interpret it, and submit it before the high court. Justice Katakey also said action has to be taken according to the MMDR Act, FIRs have to be registered, and the coal has to be seized and put to auction, subject to permission from the courts of law. He added that the entire sale proceedings will go to the state exchequer and not to the coal miners.
The aerial survey report will go into the interim report to be submitted by him before the high court. Responding to another allegation of illegal coal mining in South Garo Hills earlier, the committee advised the state government to issue a direction to the district’s Deputy Commissioner for physical verification of the allegations.
Katakey panel awaits report from SGH DC
Meanwhile, the High Court of Meghalaya-appointed one-man committee is still awaiting the report from the South Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner regarding allegations of illegal coal mining in the district.
Following the recommendations of the Katakey committee, the state government issued a directive on March 24, instructing the South Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner to conduct a physical verification of the alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal in the district.
The inquiry committee acted on complaints from four to five individuals, conducted an investigation, and submitted its report. However, further physical verification was required, prompting the state government to instruct the Deputy Commissioner of South Garo Hills to complete the task and submit a report within a week.
Sources on Thursday confirmed that the Deputy Commissioner has yet to submit the report, and officials are still awaiting it.
It was also revealed that out of the four complainants, two did not appear before the inquiry committee. As a result, the investigation was based on the complaints of the remaining two individuals.
In addition to the allegations in South Garo Hills, an aerial survey has detected over 1.92 lakh metric tonnes of illegal coal across four districts in Meghalaya. This discovery raises further doubts about the state government’s claims of cracking down on illegal coal mining and transportation.