Shillong,July 25: High Court of Meghalaya has expressed concern over the inaction of the state government to deal with illegal mining and transportation of coal.
The division bench comprising Judges HS Thangkhiew and W Diengdoh on July 24 examined the 31st report of retired Judge BP Katakey and found that the government is yet to take pro-active steps.
The court noted that with regard to the applications filed by persons claiming non-inclusion of their existing coal in the survey conducted by M/s Garuda, the committee has reported that only one person’s claim was found to be genuine, and out of the 21 applications,one person’s coal was not in the Inventory list, six persons’ coal was not covered by the affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, and 14 persons’
coal, though included in the stock of re-assessed/re-verified coal, survey was not found in those co-ordinates.
In consideration of these findings, the state respondents are to intimate as to what action that has been taken thereafter in respect of the coal of 21 applicants, whether any police case has been registered against those persons, or whether any FIR has been lodged by the authorized officer under MMDR Act, 1957, and if so the outcome of the same.
It was also observed in the report that in respect of coal found by MBDA in Rajaju and Diengngan Village, according to the Deputy Commissioner, inspection was conducted at Diengngan and only 2.50 MT
of coal was found with some residue and traces of coal, against 1839.03 MT, which had been recorded by the MBDA in their report. Similarly, in the inspection that has been carried out at Rajaju Village, approximately 8 MT of coal and some residue and traces of coal were found, out
of 2121.62 MT, as recorded by the MBDA in their report.
“This issue is of concern, in as much as, the same is illegally mined coal and in spite of the detection, unknown persons it appears have lifted and transported the coal.
The state respondents are to take urgent action in this regard and to hold accountable the persons or officials under whose watch, the same has been allowed to happen, and also to trace the persons who have lifted this coal illegally. .
Referring to the status report of the government on the 30th report of Katakey, the court observed that other than filing FIRs, no concrete action was taken.
