Irked by the failure of the State government to stop illegal mining and transportation of coal, the Meghalaya High Court today said that it may direct for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.
The division bench of the High Court was hearing a PIL filed by Champer M. Sangma.
“Since repeated orders over the last 15 months have yielded little result and the illegal trade in coal has its tentacles in other neighbouring or nearby states, particularly Assam, it may be in public interest to require the Central Bureau of Investigation to inquire into the matter including the allegations, video footage, photographs and other material produced by the several petitioners in this and the connected matters or by other public spirited individuals,” the High Court said.
During today’s hearing, Sangma produced before the court the video footage which revealed the rampant illegal coal-mining activities and the transportation of illegally-mined coal in several districts including the districts of West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, East Jaintia Hills and South Garo Hills.
The second part of the video footage contains the satellite images from several areas, showing widespread dumps of fresh coal.
According to the High Court, prima facie, the video footage revealed that it was a freshly-mined coal. However, the Deputy Commissioner of South Garo Hills who was present in court claimed, after viewing the video footage, that this was the coal that had been previously seized.
The High Court however said that previously seized coal, which would have been coal that was mined prior to 2016 or 2017, would have plants, weeds and grass growing around them in the dumps. The court also said that after the appointment of Justice B P Katakey (retired), a schedule has been prepared for disposing of the previously seized coal after weighing all of such previously seized amounts.
“There are credible reports carried in local newspapers that there are fixed rates at various levels for those in authority to look the other way as this menace ravishes the State and deprives it of the rightful revenue that could have been generated upon scientific mining being permitted after issuing due license therefor,” the High Court said.
Deputy Solicitor General of India, Dr. Nitesh Mozika who was present at the hearing told the High Court that he will represent the CBI in this matter.
Meanwhile, the High Court has given liberty to the petitioner (Sangma) to gather further material, if possible, “should the State needs any further convincing that it has altogether failed to check the menace or to uphold the rule of law in such regard”.
The next hearing on the matter will be held on July 13.
