By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 5: The state government has informed the High Court of Meghalaya that two illegal coke oven plants violating the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board’s siting norms have been demolished. The remaining 15 units, the status report said, are slated for demolition by December 15, with work already allotted to a contracted agency.
The state respondents submitted a status report during the hearing on a PIL about illegal coal mining in Meghalaya.
They stated that, in accordance with the directions of the relevant Committee during a meeting on November 20, a report would be submitted after the MSPCB conducts an inspection every three months.
The status report also indicated that the order for approval of shifting 3,039.92 metric tonnes and auctioning of the coal at Nongjri is awaited, and the case of the missing coal of 920.73 MT is still pending investigation with the police.
It said a plan of action has been drawn up for the process of reaching out to all coal dumps found during the aerial survey by Garuda in the South West Khasi Hills district. It is reported that, at the November 20 meeting, 28 out of 37 coal dump locations were identified, and the inspection was scheduled for completion by November 30.
In the East Jaintia Hills district, only 58,321 MT of coal out of 81,776.92 MT surveyed by Garuda with unmanned aerial vehicles at 660 dumps was found. An FIR was subsequently registered for 8,766.37 MT of verified coal.
Out of the total of 58,321 MT, for which physical verification has been completed, 142.9664 MT was transferred to the designated depot, as it was found that 19.508 MT of coal matched the petition filed by one Mathaios Byrloi on behalf of the coal owners on July 19, 2024.
For the remaining 35,661 MT of coal, directions have been given for its seizure. It is also reported that the Committee noted in its November 20 meeting that an FIR has been filed for 8,766.37 MT of coal, and directions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioner to file an FIR for the remaining coal, excluding the 19,508 MT, which coincides with Byrloi’s petition.
Regarding the West Khasi Hills district, a suggestion was made to transfer the seized coal to the designated depot located within the district, with a proper demarcation and an appropriate signboard, so that a temporary depot is not required to be built.
Regarding the South Garo Hills district, it is reported that only about 35 MT of coal was found lying outside the designated depots during the aerial survey. Still, no coal was found during the inspection by the district authorities.
The status report also touched upon the steps taken to recover the amount due from Ferro Alloy Plants. The Advocate General submitted that the Committee further directed the Coal Audit Committee to complete the audit of the coal source and submit a report within a month.
It is also reported that an FIR was lodged on October 10 against those who wrongfully claimed the existence of coal extracted before the ban.
About the initiation of the process for the auction of reassessed and reverified coal, because there is still around 210 MT of coal, it is reported that the state government has written to the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC) and Coal India Limited (CIL) to conduct the auction of the remaining coal by December 10. The Advocate General submitted that MSTC has intimated that the e-auction will recommence from December 17.
On the concern expressed by the High Court about illegal mining being detected in the Kremlangshait forest under Lumbangla village, East Jaintia Hills district, it is reported that a joint inspection, based on an FIR registered on September 27, was conducted at the location. During the inspection, 22,122 MT of coal was detected and seized.
In the status report, photographs were attached to show mining equipment, such as rigs and other implements used for extracting the coal, which is still prominently visible along with the concrete sides of the box mine cutting done to extract the coal. It is, therefore, expected that immediate steps be taken to seize and destroy the machinery being used for this illegal activity, the court said.
