Shillong, Feb 27:The court-appointed committee headed by BP Katakey predicted more incidents arising out of illegal coal mining in the state if preventive measures are not taken.
Citing the instances of use of explosives to extract coal, Katakey said the possibility of the occurrence of serious accidents in all the coal-producing districts cannot at all be ruled out, unless the administration is serious about stopping the illegal coal mining activities and all necessary steps in that regard are taken.
The committee visited Mynsyngat-Thangsko and adjoining areas and found thriving illegal coal mining activities
The commitee visited Mynsyngat-Thangsko and adjoining areas and found thriving illegal coal mining activities
The observations of the committee in its 36th report below.
OBSERVATIONS :
(i) Presence of large quantity of freshly mined coal on the way to the accident
site at Mynsyngat-Thangsko area and also a large number of active coal
mines, apart from the tools and machineries, including tractor and high
power generator set amply demonstrate continued illegal coal mining
activities in complete disregard to the orders passed by the the Hon’ble
Supreme Court, this Hon’ble Court and the National Green Tribunal, which
amounts to wilful violation of various directions issued not only by this
Hon’ble Court but also by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, by the administration.
(ii) Extent of illegal coal mining activities found to have been continuing in the
area as aforementioned as well as the observation made by the Committee
in its earlier reports relating to the continued illegal coal mining activities in
the State, reflects the non-seriousness of the administration to stop the
illegal coal m areining activities mentioned above, which hardly 10/12kilometres away from district headquarter, i.e Khliehriat.
(iii)The District Administration is also found to be negligent in taking steps to stop the illegal coal mining activities in the district as the Committee during its visit to the accident site coal mining site at Mynsyngat-Thangsko area on 06/02/2026, as stated above, found active coal mines in the villages
(iv) No steps, including setting up of the check points, as discussed during the physical meeting the Committee had with all concerned on 16/01/2026 in Shillong, appear to have taken to stop the detection of illegal mining activities including transportation of illegally mined coal and such steps stated to have been taken by the district administration the aforesaid accident occurred and the Committee left Khliehriat after visit of the site on 06/02/2026.
(v) The Committee do not find any reason of not noticing the continued illegal coal mining activities in the entire stretch from Mopala village to the accident site at Mynsyngat-Thangsko area, by the district administration, as the said area is not at all totally inaccessible, as sought to be projected.
There is also no reason as to why the drone survey of that area could not conducted from time to time, though the illegal coal mining activities in the area is going on for a very long period of time and in the open and not being under any forest cover.
(vi) The administration, as it appears, waited till occurrence of the disaster for taking some action. The explosion in Mynsyngat-Thangsko area has amply demonstrate non-enforcement of steps to stop illegal coal mining activities.
(vii) Presence of active coal mines in the entire stretch from Mopala to the accident site at Mynsyngat-Thangsko area coupled with recovery of a large number of detonators in Cement Bazar under Umpleng Police Out Post, make the entire area vulnerable for more such accident that has happened at Mynsyngat-Thangsko area, more so when the illegal coal mine operators appeared to have started using blasting by dynamites for illegal coal mining.
(viii) Continued illegal coal mining activities, as reported by the Committee in its earlier reports, in some other districts having going on unabated, and use of explosive substances for extracting coal from coal mine pits in Mynsyngat-Thangsko area having been noticed, as well as detection of explosive substances near the illegal coal mine pits in Rangad village in East Jaintia Hills District, the possibility of occurrence of serious accidents in all the coal producing districts, cannot at all be ruled out, unless the administration is serious about stopping the illegal coal mining activities and all necessary steps in that regard are taken.
(ix) The names and full addresses of all the persons injured or died in the mining accident occurred in Mynsyngat-Thangsko area need to be published for information of general public, which has not been done so far.
