Guwahati: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the state government to take immediate action on approximately 1.96 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of illegally mined coal identified through recent aerial surveys, warning of potential pilferage and unauthorized transportation.
The directive was issued during a hearing on June 2 in an ongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning rampant illegal coal mining in the state.
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The division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice H S Thangkhiew and Justice W Diengdoh, was reviewing the 30th Interim Report submitted by Justice (Retd.) B P Katakey, who is overseeing coal-related issues in the state.
The court stressed that proceedings under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act) should be initiated within a month against the 1,96,800.78 MT of coal found during drone-based surveys conducted by Garuda and the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA).
Of this, a staggering 1,80,299.48 MT was found scattered across 1,272 locations in East Jaintia Hills alone. Ongoing physical verification aims to determine which of these stocks were part of the verified 2019 coal inventory. Only verified stocks will be transferred to Coal India Limited (CIL) depots for auction, while the rest will be confiscated under the MMDR Act.
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Other seizures include 11,330.05 MT of coal in West Khasi Hills following an FIR, 797.56 MT in South West Khasi Hills, and 35.01 MT of undocumented coal in South Garo Hills.
The court also flagged the poor performance of coal auctions. Despite putting up 2,13,567.99 MT of inventoried coal for auction over seven rounds between 2021 and 2025, only 3,470 MT has been sold so far. Describing the unsold stockpile as “startling,” the court asked the Katakey Committee to recommend efficient strategies for expediting the auction process.
In an earlier report, the MBDA had been criticized for failing to interpret UAV maps in six South West Khasi Hills villages. However, the 30th Interim Report clarified that MBDA had submitted data indicating 2,121.62 MT of coal in Diengngan and 1,839.03 MT in Rajaju. The court accepted this clarification and struck down its previous remarks against the authority.
Meanwhile, progress on installing Integrated Smart Check-Gates at Bagli, Borsora, and Cherragaon remains stalled due to land acquisition issues. The court instructed the government to expedite land procurement either on rent or lease and to bolster surveillance with drone monitoring and increased patrolling in high-risk areas. It also ordered the reactivation and strengthening of District Level Monitoring Committees.
Emphasizing enforcement, the court directed authorities to ensure no coal-carrying vehicle exceeds its permissible load and demanded action against a truck owner flagged for multiple violations.
In a related development, the court dismissed a plea by the Jaintia Hills Cement Manufacturer Association for exemption from the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). It further urged immediate verification of coal sources used by cement, coke oven, ferro-alloy, and captive power plants.
The court also expressed concern over delays in notifying the revised SOP 2024 and implementing demurrage charges for delayed coal lifting.
Responding to a media report about the suspected death of a labourer in an illegal mine shaft in Musiang village (East Jaintia Hills), the court ordered a thorough inquiry. The investigation is to be conducted by a police officer not below the rank of Inspector and overseen by the district Superintendent of Police. A report must be submitted to both the Mining and Geology Department and the Katakey Committee within two weeks.
The state government has been given four weeks to submit a comprehensive status report on all issues discussed. The next hearing is scheduled for July 15.
Acknowledging Justice (Retd.) Katakey’s ongoing contributions, the court sanctioned an honorarium of Rs 3.5 lakh, including secretarial expenses.