Shillong, Sep 7: The secretary of Meghalaya Against Corruption Movement, Manbhalang Phankon, has demanded that the state government grant permission for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into illegal coal mining in the state.
Phankon said he submitted a written representation at the office of the Chief Minister seeking probe into illegal mining of coal, its illegal transportation and trading and utilisation of illegally mined coal by cement factories and coke factories operating in Meghalaya.
He said as per information obtained from the Transport Officer of West Jaintia Hills, coal is being brought into Meghalaya from outside the state, particularly from Nagaland. However, according to information available with him, the quantity of coal reportedly being brought from outside does not appear sufficient to meet the requirements of coke factories as well as cement factories operating in Meghalaya.
Phankon pointed out that Meghalaya has only limited means of transporting goods into the state, primarily through trucks and to some extent through rail transport via Mendipathar Railway Station. He said if coal is genuinely being transported into Meghalaya from outside as claimed by the government, the roads of the state should be witnessing substantial movement of coal-laden trucks.
He cited that in Nongjri in South West Khasi Hills, trucks carrying coke towards Guwahati are frequently seen, but coal-laden trucks coming from Nagaland towards South West Khasi Hills are rarely, if ever, seen.
The activist said this raises serious questions on where the coke factories and cement factories are obtaining their coal from, who is financing the illegal coal mining activities in Meghalaya, who is benefiting financially from such illegal mining, where the revenue generated from it is going and through whose bank accounts or financial channels the money is being routed.
He said failure of the government to take effective action even after twelve years since the ban on rat-hole coal mining is not acceptable to many members of the public and raises serious questions as to whether something is being concealed behind continued illegal mining and whether the system is being used to benefit only certain influential individuals.
Referring to the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement that people who are found or seen engaging in illegal coal mining should file an FIR, Phankon said merely asking the public to lodge FIRs may not be sufficient as there is serious concern among the public that those involved may be protected or shielded by persons wielding political or administrative influence.
He demanded that the government should open the doors for CBI and ED to function independently and conduct a free, fair and impartial investigation into illegal coal mining in Meghalaya including extraction, transportation, trading, financing, utilisation and financial proceeds arising from such activities.
