Guwahati: The source of coal supplied to coke oven plants in Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills district has come under fresh scrutiny after a High Court-appointed audit committee found that authorities had not verified whether coal procured within the state was legally sourced.
The development comes as the Meghalaya High Court continues to monitor the state’s coal sector following the National Green Tribunal’s 2014 ban on rat-hole coal mining. The court has been overseeing compliance through a committee headed by retired Justice B P Katakey.
During a recent hearing, the Coal Audit Committee reported that the South West Khasi Hills district administration identified 10 coke oven plants during an inspection conducted on June 1. Three of the plants were found to be non-operational because they did not have valid Consent to Operate (CTO) approvals.
However, records maintained by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) showed that Consent to Establish (CTE) had been granted to 15 coke oven plants. Of these, 10 held valid CTOs, while the remaining five had not applied for the mandatory approval.
The committee found that the plants obtained coal from multiple sources. Some depended on supplies brought in from outside Meghalaya, while others used coal procured within the state or a combination of both.
The district administration, however, had not verified whether coal transported into Meghalaya complied with the 2024 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). It had also not established whether coal purchased within the state came from legal sources.
In view of the findings, Justice Katakey directed a fresh field-level inquiry into the coke oven plants. The verification will cover the existence and operation of the plants, statutory approvals, sources of coal and compliance with the 2024 SOP.
The committee has also decided to conduct physical inspections of coke oven plants across Meghalaya in coordination with district task forces. The inspections will focus on coal procurement, maintenance of records and compliance with applicable regulations.
Coke oven plants process coal at high temperatures to produce coke, a carbon-rich fuel primarily used in iron and steel manufacturing.
The latest scrutiny forms part of a broader audit of coal-dependent industries in Meghalaya. The Katakey Committee has previously called for strict implementation of the 2024 SOP and continued verification of coal sources used by coke oven, ferro-alloy and cement plants to prevent illegally mined coal from entering industrial supply chains.
The committee has also reported that several coke oven plants have been served demand notices involving amounts running into lakhs of rupees. Recovery and closure proceedings have been initiated in some cases.
As part of the latest verification exercise, the committee has directed authorities to examine coal procurement records and production data of coke oven plants, including month-wise details of coal consumed and coke produced from January 1, 2026. The exercise follows allegations that illegal coal mining continues in the district.
Similar audits of coal sources used by ferro-alloy plants and cement companies are also underway. Show-cause notices have been issued to Star Cement Meghalaya Ltd and Star Cement Ltd concerning the source of coal used at their cement plant in East Jaintia Hills district.
The Meghalaya High Court is also examining reports submitted by the Katakey Committee and has sought detailed status reports from the state government on alleged illegal mining, violations of the 2024 SOP and action taken by enforcement agencies.