Irked by the continued illegal mining of coal in East Jaintia Hills, the Meghalaya High Court has ordered East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police, Jagpal Singh Dhanoa to appear before the division bench of the court during the hearing to be held on December 11 at 10:30 am.
The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh passed the order today during the hearing of a PIL on the matter.
During today’s hearing, the High Court took up the 18th Interim Report filed by the Single Member Committee of (Retd) Justice B P Katakey.
In his report, Justice Katakey stated that during his field visit to Khliehriat area in East Jaintia Hills, he noticed dumping of huge quantities of freshly mined coal by the side of the national highway near Don Bosco junction as well as behind the Don Bosco College (formerly St. Anthony’s College) at Byndihati village.
Further, Justice Katakey also stated that he noticed construction of a weighbridge behind the Don Bosco College in Byndihati village and in the midst of the illegally mined coal dumps as well as near few active coal mines. The weighbridge is not easily accessible and far from the national highway.
“Presence of such a huge quantity of illegally mined coals, which are neither part of the earlier inventoried nor seized coal, amply established continued illegal coal mining. The committee also noticed fresh tyre marks of heavy vehicles in the said area where such coal dumps are available, which also indicates continued transportation of illegally mined coal,” Justice Katakey said in his report.
Besides his observations, Justice Katakey also enclosed photographs of the dumps of the alleged illegally mined coal apart from photographs of an under-construction weighbridge.
However, the State government in the status report stated that an FIR has been filed with the Khliehriat Police Station and that the officials of the Directorate of Mineral Resources, Umkiang check-gate have assessed the quantity of the coal to be about 4900.20 metric tonnes.
The State government also explained that the coal dump belongs to one, Mul Sympli (NGT Serial No. 1049, coordinates N 25.3249, E 92.373775), and that the quantity accessed by the Magistrate in 2019, was 4800 metric tonnes, and that as per the verification and reassessment, as on August 25, 2023, is 4790 metric tonnes, and as such, is part of inventoried coal and not illegally mined coal.
However, as per the information furnished by the Investigating Officer to the Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District, dated November 21, 2023, the coordinates with regard to the coal dump mentioned in the FIR was Latitude 25.3326445 and Longitude 92.3734301, which does not match the earlier coordinates of the coal dump of the said Mul Sympli.
“This finding, coupled with the remarks in the 18th Interim Report, is indeed alarming and points out to a larger picture of illegal mining still being indulged in with impunity inspite of the orders of the Supreme Court, NGT and directives of this court. The fact that the coal dump is located in a prominent location i.e. behind the Don Bosco College, Byndihati speaks volumes about the manner of discharge of duties by the officials concerned, especially the head of police administration in the district, i.e. the Superintendent of Police, for which an explanation is called for,” the High Court said.
“The Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills District, is directed to be present personally before this court on the 11th of December, 2023 at 10:30 am, to clarify the issue,” the High Court ordered.
