The Meghalaya government has forwarded a total of 27 applications to the Ministry of Coal, for carrying out scientific mining as received from various applicants, out of which 17 applicants have obtained Prospecting License (PL).
Informing this, the 24th interim report of Justice (Retd) B P Katakey also stated that a geological report in respect of eight applications has been approved by the Ministry of Coal. Grant of mining lease has been approved in respect of four applicants who have also submitted the mining plan for vetting and approval.
The 24th interim report also stated that total quantity of re-assessed/re-verified inventoried coal available in different Coal India Limited depots in four districts of the State as informed by the Director of Mineral Resources, Meghalaya, is 4,83,825.57 tons, as on July 24.
The district wise break-up of the coal quantity is East Jaintia Hills (2,38,447.99 tons), West Khasi Hills (18,679 tons), South West Khasi Hills (1,69,489.58 tons) and South Garo Hills (57,209 tons).
The committee also called for the need to conduct aerial surveys of the coal-mining districts in the State on completion of transportation of the entire quantity of re-assessed inventoried coal.
It urged the State government to explore the possibility of conducting survey by satellite imagery through North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), Umiam, so that any coal, other than the inventoried coal, if found to be available could be seized and action under the provisions of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 could be taken.
The committee advised the State government to issue order regarding pasting of different coloured stickers/coloured papers by the transporters at a prominent place in the windshield of the trucks carrying the auctioned seized coal, CIL auctioned coal and coal brought from outside either to Meghalaya or to any other State or country outside India, so that it can easily be verified whether the coal carried by the transporters is auctioned seized coal or CIL auctioned coal or coal brought from the outside the State.
In view of various allegations made at different quarters relating to transportation and export of illegally mined coal in the State in the guise of coal imported from other neighbouring states, the committee has advised the State government to incorporate certain provisions in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) framed in 2022, under Rule 4(9) of the Meghalaya Mineral (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2022 so as to ensure that no illegally mined coal in the State is transported or exported to Bangladesh through Meghalaya in the guise of coal transported from other states.
The committee has also recommended to the State government to issue guidelines for transportation of auctioned seized coal to cement industries and their power plants and to legally set up coke oven plants in the State.
It also directed the Chief Secretary and the Mining and Geology Secretary to conduct a fresh verification relating to the alleged continued illegal mining in South West Khasi Hills and to submit a report within a fortnight.
The committee also stated that thousands of coal mine pits have not been sealed and these posed grave danger to humans and livestock.
It directed the State government to take up the issue relating to the closure of mine openings on an urgent basis and also to furnish the required information to CMPDIL within a fortnight.
Meanwhile, the 25th interim report has recommended taking of immediate decision on notification of the SOP so as to prevent transportation of coal illegally mined in the State in the guise of coal brought from outside the State to the State and also to other states as well as to Bangladesh through Meghalaya.
The report recommended identification of suitable land for setting up of smart integrated exit check gates for the purpose of implementation of the SOP and to ensure that no illegal coal from the State crosses the border of Meghalaya.
It also reiterated the need for conduct of aerial survey in regular intervals, to monitor and find out illegal coal mining activities, if any, and to take appropriate action in terms of the provisions of the MMDR Act, 1957.
