Meghalaya: Justice BP Katakey Committee to Investigate Illegal Coal Mining

SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya appointed a committee, headed by retired Justice BP Katakey to inquire into severe allegations of rampant illegal coal mining throughout the state. The single-member committee had received numerous petitions about ongoing illegal and unscientific rat-hole mining activities, specifically at Dobakol Nongalbibra in South Garo Hills and Goreng in West Khasi Hills.

In a statement issued to The Shillong Times last week, Katakey confirmed the receipt of the complaints and further stated that the relevant departments would be directed to conduct proper inquiries and submit the findings. "Once I receive the reports, I will take the necessary steps," he remarked.

The committee is also considering conducting physical inspections of the locations where illegal mining has been reported, and the possibility of involving non-governmental individuals in the inspection process remains open. So far, the committee has addressed three petitions and has recently received four additional complaints.

One of the notable petitioners is a social activist named Mingran T Sangma, who claims that rat-hole mining, which is illegal, is carried out openly at Dobakol Nongalbibra under the nose of the district administration. Krishan Kumar has complained that illegal mining was going on at Goreng wherein two persons are exporting coal to Bangladesh through fake invoices. Kumar claims that this illegally mined coal is mis-reported to be Nagaland-origin and is stocked at a coal stockyard located at Rongsa Awe in South Garo Hills district prior to its export from the Gasuapara Land Custom Station.

Justice Katakey intends to take drastic action according to the results of these investigations and on-site visits. He will travel to Shillong by the end of the month to meet relevant departments to inquire about the present status of various directives issued recently by the committee.

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