The glib explanation given by Revenue Minister, Kyrmen Shylla on the disappearance of 4000 metric tonnes of coal from a particular depot which is roughly about 40 truck-loads of coal as being washed away by heavy rains, apart from being the biggest yarn should actually call for a deeper investigation. The Minister’s statement has gone viral and he has become the butt of a country-wide joke. That the Minister also comes from a family engaged in coal mining puts him in a spot when such questions are asked. The irony of it all is that coal is regularly transported despite the NGT ban in 2014. Anyone who travels to Jaintia Hills sees the coal carrying trucks covered with tarpaulin and there are policemen along the Jowai bypass right through to the East Jaintia Hills coal mines who are posted along the roads to collect money from these coal carrying trucks. Its not as if the police officials posted along these roads care about being reported. For them its par for the course.
Hence the media knows the modus operandi but continues to ask these questions perhaps to seek accountability from the MDA Government. Daily these coal trucks transport coal via Assam to different destinations. Coal is still transported to Bangladesh despite the chaos in that country. So too is limestone from the War-Jaintia areas and boulders and sand from Pynursla and adjoining areas. Meghalaya is set for a massive environmental disaster but since the mine and quarry owners are what are termed as “high level” people who pull the strings in the Government it is a futile exercise for the media too to labour on the same issues. News about the massive quarrying near Mawkasiang in the New Shillong Township area is another story of impending devastation. The company that did the quarrying is connected to a minister in the MDA Government. Similar quarrying was done in the Upper Umkhen area in Mawlyngad some years ago thereby leaving the Umkhen nearly dry. Quarrying is carrying on unabated and those supposed custodians of our land and forests namely the Autonomous District Councils and the Rangbah Shnong of those areas are in cahoots with the quarrying corporates. This is Meghalaya’s eternal consternation – that those vested with the authority to guard the environment from imminent disaster are the very ones engaged in mining and quarrying activities.
In the coal disappearance saga, the ministers who should have been questioned are the two Deputy CMs – one in charge of Home (Police) District Council Affairs and the other the Deputy CM in charge of Commerce & Industries Department and the Transport Department amongst others. Transportation of coal could not have happened without the knowledge of the Transport Minister. Kyrmen Shylla is in charge of Revenue and Disaster Management. Hence his statement amounts to a disaster of sorts where the rains have washed away thousands of tons of coal. But can he get away with the glib explanation? Who will hold him accountable for the absurd statement?
