A citizen has written to various authorities in the State and Central government alleging that the office of the Deputy Commissioner, South Garo Hills allowed coal being mined in Nagaland for export to Bangladesh through “fake invoices” although the coal was actually mined in Meghalaya.
The citizen in an e-mail letter to various officials in the State government including those of the Centre (copies of which were also sent to the media) stated that the office of the Deputy Commissioner, South Garo Hills through an order No. SGH/DC/GENL.17/2020/386 permitted Katman T. Sangma to transport an estimated 4.5 lakh metric tons of coal, allegedly originating from Nagaland.
“This ostensible coal is being mined within Meghalaya itself for export purposes, as illustrated by ten fake invoices under the guise of this order, facilitating the illicit transfer of illegally mined coal to Bangladesh,” the letter said.
The letter also said details of the order raise several red flags. It also said that Katman T. Sangma’s firm does not possess the logistical, operational or financial capabilities to handle such a vast quantity of coal.
“It doesn’t have an order book or sourcing pipeline for such a large quantity. There is a stark discrepancy visible in the quarterly nature of returns filed by Sangma and Ngamkho Konyak (Seller of 4.5 lakh metric tons coal to Katman T. Sangma) — indicating a turnover of less than Rs 2 crore for both entities — and the permission granted to them for handling 4.5 lakh metric tons of coal. This discrepancy is a clear indication of a fictitious transaction designed to cover up fake invoice trading,” the letter added.
It also said that the Nagaland Coal Policy stipulates the necessity of a mining challan for coal transportation, a requirement conspicuously absent in the case of these coal-laden trucks.
“The absence of proper documentation and the inconsistency in the reported origin of the coal suggest that these transactions are not only dubious but also illegal. Further the rules framed under 23-C of MMDR Act both within Meghalaya and Nagaland regarding rules to stop illegal transportation and storage of minerals act are also flaunted clearly,” the letter added.
Stating that the pattern of fictitious coal trading seems to have shifted from Jharkhand to Nagaland, likely due to the lower toll tax and unauthorised liaisons at toll gates, the letter claim that these trucks have traversed Assam and Meghalaya toll gates should be verified by calling of CCTV footage from all the concerned toll gates. “This should be immediately executed as the toll gates keep a weekly backup of CCTV footage post which the data is wiped,” it said.
“It is alarming to note that currently an amount of Rs 85,000 per truck is reportedly being charged for the mere trade of documents under the auspices of the aforementioned order, allowing the passage of illegal coal into Bangladesh. The issuance of this order, without proper verification of the coal’s existence or the legitimacy of the firms involved, is negligent at best and complicit at worst,” it alleged.
“This situation is not merely a case of corporate malfeasance but a massive corruption scandal that implicates a network of influential individuals across bureaucracy and politics,” the letter said.
Urging the authorities to take this matter seriously and initiate a comprehensive investigation, the letter said, “It is imperative that we act swiftly to prevent further illegal mining and trading of coal, safeguard the economic interests of Meghalaya, and hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.”
