Illegal mining: HC seeks Meghalaya coal inventory within seven days

GUWAHATI:  The Meghalaya High Court has given a week to the state government to report about the coal inventory lying by the roadside and dumps. The direction comes amid allegations that coal is being extracted despite a ban on it by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as the Supreme Court. The coal traders have allegedly continued with the business under the ruse that they are transporting coal that was mined before 2016.

The state government said it has no idea about the exact quantity of coal mined before 2016 which has to be disposed of. An interim report of a court-constituted committee, headed by Justice (retd) BP Katakey, said the previously-mined (till 2016) coal “is lying as per NGT inventory” by the sides of public roads at 24 places. Advocate general Amit Kumar submitted that the previously-mined coal may be lying in dumps numbering 1,500 or more.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justices W Diengdoh and HS Thangkhiew said measuring coal lying by the roadside may not require any rocket science technology. The court directed the state government to measure the coal – if required with the help of the Coal India Limited (CIL) – at each site within a week.

“Whatever be the number of dumps, the state has to stand by the particulars furnished before Justice Katakey… It is imperative that the coal lying at such places be disposed of in accordance with law and upon following the pollution control measures pertaining thereto as expeditiously as possible,” the court ordered.

The court sniffed a “game” being played where the government expects CIL to carry out the measurements. The latter says it has formed a panel but has not told the court how the measurement is being done.

Coal mining is a lucrative business in Meghalaya. The state government denies any coal mining but there have been tragedies claiming lives since the NGT enforced the ban in 2014. A few days ago, a labourer died while another was injured in a coal mine mishap.

‘Coal mined before 2016 lying at 24 places’
The state government said it has no idea about the exact quantity of coal mined before 2016 which has to be disposed of. An interim report of a court-constituted committee, headed by Justice (retd) BP Katakey, said the coal mined until 2016 “is lying as per NGT inventory” by the sides of public roads at 24 places.