The Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) tasked to interpret aerial survey maps has not done its job though it was advised to seek assistance from the North East Space Application Centre (NESAC) by the Justice (Retd.) Katakey Committee.
This was flagged during the hearing of a report filed by the State government in response to the interim report, which was submitted to the Meghalaya High Court.
A division bench of Justice Hamar Sing Thangkhiew and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said, “It has been noted in the report that the MBDA has not even cared to attend the meetings convened by the Committee, nor has it taken any steps to interpret the aerial (UAV) survey maps in the six villages in South West Khasi Hills, or generated any report thereupon.”
The MBDA had carried out aerial surveys of six villagers in South West Khasi Hills district to locate illegal coal mining, sale, and transportation, as well as identify coal stored outside designated depots and coal already seized under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act).
The six villages are Thateja, Pormawdar, Diengngan, Mawhar, Tinpul and Rajaju.
On the issuance of Mining Transport Challans (MTC) issued by the Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR) the court said there are two instances that were detected and are in violation of clause 10 (c) of the Revised Comprehensive Plan, 2022.
The court said that as per the report, the name and address of the owner and driver of the vehicle and their mobile numbers and also the mobile number of the owner of the coal has not been mentioned apart from the fact that the vehicles that were checked were carrying MTCs issued under the numbers of different vehicles.
The High Court said that the Advocate General has prayed that the matters under the Specially Designated Courts with regard to coal ceased under Section 21 of the MMDA Act, be expedited. “It is ordered accordingly and it is expected that the Special Courts dealing with the same dispose of the matters at the earliest,” the court said.
The court while directing that a copy of the 28th interim report be handed over to the state also asked for a detailed status report be filed, especially on the aspect of detection of excess coal by the Garuda UAV, in East Jaintia Hills.
As per the report, 1, 92,840 tonnes of illegal coal was detected in four districts of Meghalaya by an aerial survey conducted by the Garuda UAV Soft Solutions. Out of this, 1, 80,299.48 tonnes was detected in East Jaintia Hills district.
The Advocate General had sought the High Court’s permission to allow him to seek instructions and file a report as to how and why this had occurred.
Earlier during the hearing of the PIL, the Advocate General took the court through the contents of the status report to demonstrate the actions that the government has taken. This includes the auction of left-over quantity of coal, recovery of unpaid demurrage charges, forfeiture of security and part bid amount, and the bid amount on account of non-lifting of auctioned coal.
The government stated that meetings have been conducted for amendment of the clauses in the Auction Policy 2022, as per the directions and orders of the court.
The status report also stated that the setting up of Smart Integrated Check Posts, is a non-starter due to the unavailability of land, and action taken with regard to the closure of abandoned mines shafts, has also been touched upon.
“The status report apart from the main areas has also addressed the issue of the Coal Audit Committee with regard to verification of records from DMR as to the consumption of coal and its source thereof, by the industries and also the applications for Scientific Coal Mining, as well as the other steps taken to curb illegal mining,” the court said.
Pointing out that the the government submitted that active steps are being taken and though there might be incidents of illegal mining, the state is committed towards eradicating the same, the court said, “The status report is accepted and taken on board.”
The next hearing on the PIL has been fixed on June 2, 2025.
