Guwahati: A committee appointed by the Meghalaya High Court has found that more than 13 lakh metric tonnes of inventoried coal remain unaccounted for in the state, while none of the abandoned rat-hole mine openings have been secured despite repeated court orders.
The finding comes in the 41st interim report of the committee headed by retired Justice B.P. Katakey, which has called for a detailed investigation to establish who is responsible for the missing coal and continuing failures in dealing with illegal mining.
The Meghalaya High Court constituted the single-member committee in April 2022 to oversee compliance with directions issued by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal in cases concerning unscientific and illegal rat-hole coal mining.
The proceedings followed years of litigation after fatal mine accidents and environmental damage led to a ban on rat-hole mining in 2014.
The Supreme Court modified the ban in 2019 and placed the state government in charge of coal that had already been extracted, directing that it be handed over to Coal India Limited for auction under regulated conditions.
The state had earlier told the Supreme Court through an affidavit that 32,56,715 metric tonnes of extracted coal were available.
An aerial assessment subsequently put the quantity at a much lower level, while physical verification carried out by Deputy Commissioners found 19,54,258.816 metric tonnes.
This leaves a difference of 13,02,456.184 metric tonnes, a shortage that has not been contested.
The committee said the discrepancy requires a detailed inquiry because the state had been made responsible for safeguarding the coal by the Supreme Court.
The unaccounted quantity would amount to about 52,000 truckloads if each vehicle carried 25 tonnes. Transporting that volume at the rate of 100 trucks per day would require more than 500 days.
The state had previously attributed part of the difference to variations between physical measurements and drone-based surveys, besides referring to coal that had already been auctioned or seized. The committee, however, has not accepted those explanations in their entirety.
The report also deals with 37,449.53 metric tonnes of illegally extracted coal that had been detected outside designated Coal India Limited depots and subsequently went missing. Police cases were initially registered for only 4,141.83 metric tonnes.
The government later told the committee that cases had been registered covering the full quantity. However, police station case numbers and details on the progress of the investigations have yet to be submitted, despite previous directions for prompt registration and completion of the probes.
Another major issue raised in the report is the continued lack of protection around abandoned rat-hole mines. No mine opening has been closed or fenced, despite repeated directions from the courts and the committee.
Several Deputy Commissioners have submitted proposals for fencing, while the Oversight Committee has been examining detailed project reports for permanent closure. No final decision has yet been taken.
The state has cited Meghalaya’s complicated land ownership system, including private, clan and customary ownership, as well as the possibility of fencing being damaged in remote locations. The committee has again sought a fixed timeline for securing every abandoned mine opening, with temporary fencing to be put in place until permanent measures are completed.
The report also records a new suspected case of illegal mining from Sakhain village in East Jaintia Hills in early September. Police registered an FIR at Khliehriat Police Station after detecting a newly excavated pit.
Photographs from the site showed mining equipment, but the police report did not mention that the equipment had been seized.
The committee has also found gaps in follow-up action after seizures. From 2023 to 2026, authorities seized 62 vehicles and 92 pieces of equipment in cases involving illegal mining and transportation.
Yet confiscation proceedings under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act were started in only one case. Little action has been taken against landowners, while proceedings involving mine owners have also remained limited.
A detailed plan prepared by the Mining and Geology Department to prevent, detect and control illegal mining and transportation is still awaiting approval from the competent authority. The plan covers vulnerable areas and assigns responsibility to officials.
Proposals for public grievance committees at the state and district levels have also not been finalised. The proposed system includes protection for whistle-blowers and time limits for resolving complaints.
A separate policy providing ex-gratia assistance to people affected by accidents in illegal mines is under consideration but has yet to receive final approval.
Compensation is also pending for the family of Durba Rai, whose body was recovered earlier this year from an unsecured illegal coal mine pit in East Jaintia Hills. Police have registered a case over the death.
Progress on the action plan for restoring areas affected by coal mining has been slow, the committee said. Projects intended to revive the Kyrhuhkhla and Lunar rivers, among others, have not been implemented even though they have received in-principle approval.
Funds earmarked for environmental restoration also remain unused because sufficient project proposals have not been submitted.
The report records one recent measure by the state government: revised rules for transporting scientifically mined coal were notified on September 14, 2026. The procedure includes safeguards proposed by the committee to ensure illegally extracted coal cannot be transported by passing it off as legally mined material.
The latest interim report is part of the committee’s continuing review of compliance with orders of the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal and the Meghalaya High Court.
It records some progress in the form of new procedures and notifications but finds that key issues remain unresolved, including the shortage of inventoried coal, unsecured abandoned mine openings, incomplete police investigations and delays in environmental restoration.
The committee has sought fixed timelines for determining responsibility, securing abandoned mine pits, completing pending criminal proceedings and improving systems through which people can report illegal mining while receiving protection from retaliation.