Nearly 4,000 MT of coal vanishes from 2 sites in Meghalaya, HC seeks accountability

Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya has sought accountability from the state government and its agencies after nearly 4,000 metric tonnes (MT) of illegally mined coal vanished from two coal depots in the state—Rajaju and Diengngan villages—despite the stock being previously recorded through official surveys.

In a scathing observation, the High Court bench headed by Justice HS Thangkhiew, which heard the matter on Thursday, has asked authorities to identify the individuals or officials responsible for allowing the disappearance of coal that had already been detected and flagged for action.

The revelation comes from the 31st interim report submitted by the Justice (Retd) BP Katakey Committee, which is monitoring coal mining and transportation issues in the state.

The report states that during ground verification, only 2.5 MT of coal was found at Diengngan against the 1,839.03 MT earlier recorded by the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), while at Rajaju, just 8 MT remained out of the 2,121.62 MT recorded.

The court observed that this illegal coal was detected much earlier, and yet, "unidentified persons" managed to lift and transport the coal, raising serious questions about enforcement on the ground.

It directed the state to take urgent action to trace those responsible and ensure officials under whose watch the lapse occurred are held to account.

Apart from the vanishing coal, the report also highlighted several unresolved issues around the disposal of re-assessed and re-verified inventoried coal stockpiled at Coal India Limited (CIL) depots.

Following the court's order dated June 2, meetings were held with various stakeholders, including CIL, to formulate a more reliable and expeditious method of auctioning the remaining inventoried coal.

CIL submitted four proposals, three of which are already part of the Revised Comprehensive Plan, 2022, even as the committee has recommended the inclusion of two new clauses mandating that full payment must be made within 120 days, and that coal be lifted within 120 days of full payment.

Failure to comply would result in bid cancellation, forfeiture of the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), and re-auctioning of the coal.

To make the auction process more inclusive and effective, the committee has also recommended that meetings be convened with local authorised coal-based industries to encourage their participation.

It also proposed offering concessional rates to bulk consumers besides a suggestion was also made by CIL that the auction process be temporarily paused until all pending issues are resolved.

The court noted that the state has accepted this recommendation and has currently put fresh auctions of inventoried coal on hold.

The committee also examined 21 applications from individuals claiming that their coal stocks were not reflected in the UAV survey conducted by M/s Garuda UAV and MBDA.

Of these, only one claim was found to be genuine, the court observed.

Fourteen applicants' coal stocks could not be matched with the survey coordinates, six were not supported by affidavits submitted to the Supreme Court, and one individual's coal was not part of the official inventory, the court noted.

The high court has asked the state to clarify what action has been taken in response to these applications—whether police complaints or FIRs under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, have been filed—and to report the outcomes.

A status report filed by the state in response to the Committee's 30th Interim Report confirmed that FIRs had been filed in connection with the missing coal in Rajaju and Diengngan, as well as in South Garo Hills, but provided no further details on investigation or accountability.

The committee has directed deputy commissioners to cross-check the physical coal stock with UAV survey data and lodge FIRs in cases of significant discrepancies.

The report also addressed the issue of mismatch between truck numbers and transport challans, stating the discrepancy arose from mechanical breakdowns and reloading of coal onto alternate vehicles, and not from fraudulent documentation.

Overloading concerns are reportedly being addressed by enforcement teams.

On the reported death of a coal miner in Musiang village, a police report has found the claim to be false.

Regarding ongoing efforts to regulate and monitor coal-based industries, the report noted that the source audit of coke oven plants is still in progress.

The Advocate General has assured the court that the audit findings will be placed on record at the next hearing.

As challenges continue with the implementation of Smart Check Gates at mining and transport points, the committee noted that integration with customs check gates is being actively explored to strengthen coal movement monitoring.

The report also recorded progress in the recovery of demurrage charges, and a total of Rs 13.49 lakh has been realised so far, with Rs 5.01 lakh pending.

Notices have been issued to recover the outstanding amount, the court was informed.

Taking into account the multiple pending issues related to coal auction, illegal mining, missing coal stocks, and mine closures, the court has scheduled the matter for further hearing on August 25, and directed that copies of the 31st interim report be made available to all relevant parties for compliance and further action.