Fresh probe ordered into missing 4,000 MT of illegal coal: Meghalaya govt

The Meghalaya government has informed the high court that it has ordered a fresh inspection of coal dump sites in two villages in South West Khasi Hills district, after nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal, detected in an aerial survey, could not be accounted for during ground verification.

A final report is expected within a month, the state government told the Meghalaya High Court through an affidavit on Monday.

The direction followed a probe initiated by the district deputy commissioner, in compliance with a July 24 high court order in connection with a PIL filed in 2022.

A three-member committee, comprising senior district officials, had been constituted to investigate the discrepancy.

"It is highly improbable for nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of coal to disappear without detection," the committee stated in its report.

It attributed the discrepancy to the region's difficult terrain and environmental conditions, noting that the errors were the result of unintentional gaps in information rather than negligence.

According to the report, the Meghalaya Basin Development Agency (MBDA)'s aerial survey had recorded 2,121.62 metric tonnes of coal in Diengngan village and 1,839.03 metric tonnes in Rajaju village.

However, ground verification teams found only 2.50 MT and 8 MT, respectively.

The committee observed that the absence of geotagged coordinates likely caused inspection teams to miss the actual dump sites.

It recommended a re-inspection of both villages, with MBDA tasked with providing precise GPS coordinates to ensure accurate identification and verification of the coal dumps.

The committee also highlighted the persistent risk of cross-border smuggling and called for enhanced surveillance, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and coordinated inter-agency efforts.

During a review meeting on August 11, the deputy commissioner clarified that earlier figures were based on incomplete data.

With updated information now available, a fresh verification will be carried out, and a final report will be submitted within a month.

The high court was also informed that MBDA and the Department of Mining and Geology have been directed to fully cooperate with the district administration in the verification process and provide all required data.

Former excise minister Kyrmen Shylla recently sparked public outrage after he jokingly remarked that the missing coal may have been washed away by monsoon rains, possibly into neighbouring Bangladesh.

His remarks triggered sharp condemnation from civil society organisations, citizens' groups, and opposition parties.

Critics called the explanation "absurd" and "irresponsible", accusing the former minister of trivialising a serious governance failure and undermining accountability.

The coal controversy is rooted in a larger, long-standing issue. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in 2014 imposed a blanket ban on unscientific and unsafe coal mining practices in Meghalaya'?particularly rat-hole mining, citing grave environmental and safety concerns.

The ban also extended to the transportation of illegally extracted coal, with limited exceptions allowed under court-monitored conditions.

Despite this, multiple investigations, including those by High Court-appointed panels, have revealed that illegal mining and coal transport have continued in many parts of the state, often under the radar of enforcement agencies.

In November 2023, a High Court panel confirmed that rat-hole mining was still being carried out in violation of the NGT ban.

The matter is being monitored by the High Court as part of ongoing efforts to enforce environmental laws and bring greater transparency and accountability to coal mining operations in Meghalaya.