The Meghalaya High Court has expressed serious concern over the disappearance of nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal from 2 depots located in Rajaju and Diengngan villages.
Despite official records confirming the coal’s presence, most of the stock has vanished, prompting the court to demand that state authorities identify those responsible.
Massive Coal Discrepancy Uncovered In Official Survey
According to the 31st interim report by the Justice (Retd) BP Katakey Committee monitoring coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya, ground verification revealed only a fraction of the previously recorded coal stock. At Diengngan, just 2.5 MT remained compared to the 1,839.03 MT documented by the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA). Similarly, Rajaju showed only 8 MT against an earlier figure of 2,121.62 MT.
The court highlighted that the illegal coal had been detected well in advance, yet unidentified individuals managed to remove the stock, raising questions about enforcement and oversight failures.
Court Orders Urgent Action & Accountability
Justice HS Thangkhiew’s bench directed the state government to swiftly investigate and trace those responsible for the missing coal. Officials overseeing these depots must be held accountable for the lapses.
Auction & Inventory Issues Persist
The report also flagged unresolved challenges in auctioning inventoried coal stockpiled at Coal India Limited (CIL) depots. Following a June 2 court directive, stakeholders including CIL met to streamline auction processes. CIL proposed four plans, three aligning with the Revised Comprehensive Plan, 2022.
New recommendations include mandatory full payment and lifting of coal within 120 days to avoid bid cancellation and forfeiture of earnest money deposits. The committee also suggested involving local coal-based industries and offering concessional rates to bulk buyers. Meanwhile, fresh auctions have been paused pending resolution of outstanding issues.
Verification Of Coal Stock Claims & Legal Action
The committee reviewed 21 claims of unrecorded coal stocks; only one was genuine. Others failed to match survey coordinates or lacked affidavits. The court asked the state to update on police complaints or FIRs filed and their outcomes.
Earlier status reports confirmed FIRs related to missing coal in Rajaju, Diengngan, and South Garo Hills but lacked investigation details. Deputy commissioners have been instructed to cross-check physical stocks against survey data and file FIRs for significant mismatches.
Discrepancies between truck numbers and transport challans were attributed to mechanical issues and reloading, not fraud. Enforcement teams are addressing overloading concerns. A police report found no evidence of the reported coal miner’s death in Musiang village.
Ongoing Monitoring & Future Steps
The audit of coke oven plants continues, with findings expected at the next hearing. Efforts to implement Smart Check Gates at mining and transport points are underway, with integration plans to strengthen monitoring.
Recovery of demurrage charges has seen progress, with Rs 13.49 lakh collected and Rs 5.01 lakh pending recovery.
Given the multiple unresolved issues—including illegal mining, missing coal, auction challenges, and regulatory lapses—the court has scheduled the next hearing for August 25. Copies of the 31st interim report will be circulated to all relevant parties for compliance and further action.
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