There appears to be little chance of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into illegal coal operations in the state, despite mounting pressure from within and without the government.
That could be gleaned from the way Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his deputy, Prestone Tynsong, deflected calls for a CBI probe into consistent allegations of illegal coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya since their government came to power.
Two recent incidents stand out – a police complaint submitted by a Nokma with video and photographic evidence of suspected illegal mining in Nengchigen village in West Khasi and the death of two miners in an illegally-operating mine near Shallang, also in West Khasi Hills. During Sangma’s tenure, there have been upwards of 20 lives lost in illegal mining activity in the state.
Yesterday, political hopeful and former MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit said that the state government’s plan to allow the transportation of coal from different states and even outside the country to Bangladesh via Meghalaya is nothing but a way to conceal illegal mining within this state.
Demands for CBI inquiries have come from the opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress as well as from government allies, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, and civil society groups.
Today, Tynsong tried to placate such demands by saying that state authorities will look into the evidence submitted by the Nokma.
“We will study the documents submitted to the government and we will take action accordingly. Whether there should be a CBI inquiry or an independent inquiry, for that we will take a call,” Tynsong said.
However, though he left the door to a CBI probe open, his boss, Sangma, closed it quickly.
According to the CM, one incident is not enough to call in the CBI.
“Relying on one piece of evidence to initiate a CBI inquiry is not the way to move forward,” Sangma said. “For a CBI inquiry a process has to be followed. Let that come in and we will see how to move forward,” he added vaguely. He also claimed not to have seen any formal request from the Congress or BJP for an inquiry.
