Shillong, Dec 10: The high-court appointed coal panel headed by Justice (retd) BP Katakey has rejected the claim of East Jaintia Hills district administration that the coal found behind the Don Bosco College, Byndihati, in the district was as per inventory.
After the panel submitted its 18th report to the court citing illegal mining of coal in East Jaintia Hills, the High Court of Meghalaya had summoned the East Jaintia Hills police chief.
Katakey held a meeting with the concerned state government officials and the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner in Shillong on December 8 to discuss the matter.
According to Katakey, the coal dumped at Byndihati is not part of the 2014 inventory as per his assessment.
Earlier on December 6, the court while summoning the Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills in connection with the illegal mining of coal in the district had observed that ‘the fact that the coal dump is located in a prominent location i.e. behind the Don Bosco College, Byndihati, speaks volumes about the manner of discharge of duties by the officials concerned, especially the head of Police Administration in the district, i.e. the Superintendent of Police, for which an explanation is called for’.
