SHILLONG: The coal controllers organisation under union coal ministry has constituted a high-level panel to probe into the alleged illegal coal mining in Meghalaya and exportation of the same to Bangladesh.
The coal controller informed this development to the Meghalaya high court on Tuesday during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Champer M Sangma.
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“It is submitted on behalf of the coal controller that a high-level committee has been constituted to look into the serious allegations made by the petitioner that illegally mined coal in Meghalaya has been shown to be coal that originated in Assam by forging and fabricating documents and seeking to export such coal to a neighbouring country,” the Meghalaya high court said.
In his PIL, Sangma stated that documents issued by Guwahati-based Jai Maa Coal Pvt Ltd may have been manufactured by officials of the Meghalaya government for transportation of coal.
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Notably, the Meghalaya high court, on May 26, had ordered to stop all export of coal with e-way bills issued by Guwahati-based Jai Maa Coal Pvt Ltd through the Gasuapara land custom station in South Garo Hills district until the details are explained regarding the origin of coal.
Jai Maa Coal Pvt Ltd is owned by Balwan Bhama, a powerful coal trader from Guwahati, Assam. The Meghalaya high court has fixed the next hearing on the matter on October 19.