Police personnel receive Rs 4,000, DCs get Rs 1,000, and some MLAs are paid Rs 2,800 per truck, reveals party’s internal probe
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 7: The Meghalaya BJP has demanded a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the rampant illegal coal trade in Meghalaya since the state government continues to fail to act.
State BJP vice-president and Tura MDC Bernard Marak, who also chairs the party’s committee on illegal coal mining and transportation, revealed that the committee has already submitted its first inquiry report to the Centre, while a second, more comprehensive report is under preparation.
The committee’s initial inquiry in Garo Hills reportedly uncovered allegations that police personnel receive Rs 4,000 per truck, deputy commissioners get Rs 1,000 per truck, and certain MLAs are paid Rs 2,800 per truck to turn a blind eye to illegal transportation, he revealed.
The leader claimed that when 60 trucks ply in a day but challans are issued for only two, the massive revenue gap can only be explained by large-scale illegal movement.
“We are collecting ground-level evidence from actual quarries to pinpoint the exact sources of illegal extraction,” he said, adding that whenever the issue is raised, the state government goes into denial despite the scale of the illegal activity being an open secret.
The BJP leader alleged that several high-profile individuals are part of a well-oiled network, and details are emerging about who is receiving how much money and how the racket operates. Concrete evidence is being gathered, he said, including verbal information about the amounts paid to facilitate transportation and the routes used.
“Without solid proof, the government will not move. That is why we are focusing on verifiable data that can be placed before both the state and central authorities,” he added.
He pointed out that legal coal transportation would generate revenue for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), but illegal mining and transportation are depriving the council of its rightful share. An FIR has already been filed, and evidence exists of trucks moving without challans or with overloaded consignments.
He accused the state government of encroaching on the district council’s revenue sources while failing to protect its interests, allowing illegal activities even in council-controlled areas. District council officials, he said, are being prevented from checking suspicious trucks.
“Tribal institutions are being systematically exploited,” the MDC asserted. “We still trust the state machinery, which is why complaints are being lodged here first. But if no action is taken, we will be forced to submit all evidence directly to the Centre. The government’s response will make it clear who is shielding whom.”
The BJP leader reiterated that illegal coal mining and transportation cannot be allowed to continue unchecked in Meghalaya and that central intervention, including an ED probe, may become inevitable if the state government remains inactive.
It may be added that the Meghalaya unit of the BJP had constituted a fact-finding committee in February 2025 to investigate allegations of illegal coal mining and transportation in the state.
The 10-member committee was initially given 40 days to submit its report. It was later granted an extension due to certain disruptions.
