Meghalaya did not do enough to stop illegal coal mining

The court said it would now oversee the execution of orders from the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court to restrict large-scale mining.

The Meghalaya Supreme Court said on Monday that the state government had not done enough to stop the illegal extraction and transportation of coal, despite orders from the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court.

The court stated in the order that it would monitor the implementation of its instructions and recommendations.

Also Read:- Assam and Meghalaya CM discuss cross-border disputes : Report 30 Jan 2022

“The Secretary-General of the State is responsible for implementing such instructions, and the Secretary-General must ensure that all illegal mining activities are stopped without delay or delay,” it said.

The observation was made by Chief Judge Sanjib Banerj, Judges W Diengdoh and HS Thangkhuy after hearing from PIL about large-scale indoor holes in rats and other areas in Khalihariyat in the East Jaintia Hills.

Mining of rats in Meghalaya has been banned since 2014. It is considered an unscientific and dangerous method in which workers enter deep tunnels about three or four feet high to extract coal.

On Monday, the court also accused the state government of not using drone photographs to monitor illegal coal mining in remote areas.

“It is worrying that district judges, subdivision officers and even bloc-level officers, as well as their colleagues from the police to the police supervisor, are present; But they are all turning a blind eye to such illegal activities, ”the court order said.

Nelson refers to Horace Nelson, a British naval officer, who was blind-eyed.

Three judges and the secretary-general had visited Haliharyta and its environs last week to find evidence of large-scale illegal coal mining. He had seen piles of fresh coal on the highways.

He continued: “Apparently the coal was mined fresh because it was shiny black. On the way from Khalihariyat to Amalremu, about a kilometer or two from the Silchar-Shillong National Highway, there is a viewpoint from which the valley below the lower earth is full of platforms and tells about mining activities and recently built huts.

The court stated that it was not possible for illegal mining operations and fresh coal to be carried out with such impunity without “possible involvement of the local administration or worse”.

The court has also requested a report on the action taken on the instructions and recommendations within four weeks.

Meghalaya did not do enough to stop illegal coal mining

In March 2021, the Meghalaya government announced that it had arrested 95 people and registered 250 cases of illegal coal mining and transportation, the PTI reported.

Chief Minister Konrad K Sangma said: “Every effort is being made to ensure that all illegal extraction and transportation are combated.” “The state government will never allow any illegal activities related to extraction or transportation.”