Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has voiced serious concerns on the ongoing issue of illegal coal mining in the state and has instructed the government to submit a comprehensive new status report within four weeks.
The order, issued on April 28, 2025, followed the court’s review of the 27th Interim Report by the Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey Committee and the state’s subsequent action taken report.
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A primary concern highlighted in the Justice Katakey Committee’s 28th Interim Report was the alarming discovery of a substantial 1,92,840.13 tonnes of undocumented coal located outside the designated depots of Coal India Limited (CIL). Of this, a staggering 1,80,299.48 tonnes were found in the East Jaintia Hills district alone.
The division bench, comprising Justice H. S. Thangkhiew and Justice W. Diengdoh, acknowledged the state’s submissions concerning the auction of remaining coal, the recovery of demurrage charges, and efforts to revise the Auction Policy 2022.
However, the sheer quantity of unaccounted coal has compelled the court to demand a detailed explanation from the state government.
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Advocate General A. Kumar requested time to obtain instructions and file a report clarifying the circumstances surrounding this significant discovery.
The High Court noted the lack of progress by the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) in analyzing aerial maps to assess coal deposits in villages within the South West Khasi Hills.
The committee’s report indicated the MBDA’s absence from crucial meetings and their failure to produce any reports based on the UAV surveys conducted.
Another critical issue raised was the alleged violation of the Revised Comprehensive Plan, 2022, in the issuance of Mining Transport Challans (MTC) by the Directorate of Mineral Resources.
Instances were found where essential information such as the owner’s and driver’s details, vehicle numbers, and the coal owner’s mobile number were missing. Additionally, discrepancies were identified between the vehicle details on the challans and the vehicles being inspected.
Taking a firm stance, the High Court directed that a copy of the 28th Interim Report be provided to the state respondents, specifically instructing them to address the detection of the excess coal by the Garuda UAV in East Jaintia Hills in their detailed status report.
Responding to a plea from the Advocate General, the court also ordered the expedited handling of cases related to illegally seized coal under Section 21 of the MMDR Act that are pending in the Specially Designated Courts.
With several crucial aspects still needing clarification and action, the High Court has scheduled the next hearing for June 2, 2025, by which time it expects a comprehensive new status report from the Meghalaya government.