Shillong: The one-man committee headed by retired Justice BP Katakey has ordered an investigation into the alleged disappearance of 57,000 metric tons of coal from two Coal India Limited (CIL) depots in South Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
The inquiry was initiated after a complaint was filed alleging that the state government was auctioning coal despite the non-availability of coal in the depots.
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The state government, however, claimed that 57,000 MT of coal was still present in the depots.
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Justice Katakey has directed the deputy commissioner of South Garo Hills to provide information regarding the coal stocks within two to three days.
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He has also requested the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) to conduct an aerial survey of the region to verify the coal stocks.
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In addition to the coal disappearance investigation, the committee has recommended the immediate implementation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent the illegal transportation of coal from Meghalaya.
The SOP has been finalized and is expected to be notified soon.
The committee has also recommended the identification of suitable land for setting up smart integrated check gates to monitor the movement of coal and prevent its illegal export.