Shillong, Feb 4: The Justice BP Katakey Committee has directed the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills, to identify vulnerable areas and increase patrolling to curb illegal coal mining.
In its 34th interim report submitted before the Meghalaya High Court, the committee has stated the need for identification of the vulnerableareas /villages where illegal coal mining activities generally occur, by the Deputy Commissioner with the help of the Superintendent of Police of the district and to increase the patrolling of those identified areas on regularbasis, as the illegal coal mining activities in East Jaintia Hills District is most, which is also presently going on.
“All ingress and egress of the said areas are also required to be guarded and secured so that no illegally minedcoal can be transported out of those vulnerable areas/ villages. The said exercise needs be supervised by the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendentof Police themselves personally, who shall submit their monthly detailed report including the action taken to stop illegal coal mining activities as well asthe action taken as per law wherever illegal coal mining activities are found, to the Chief Secretary to the Govt of Meghalaya or his authorized representatives, who shall not be below the rank of Additional Chief Secretary.The Chief Secretary/ Additional Chief Secretary shall issue necessary direction, from time to time, to ensure stoppage of illegal coal mining activities in East Jaintia Hills District,” it added.
The committee also ordered the immediate auction of re-assessed coal, an enquiry into a reported shortage of 40,554.72 MT, and consideration of applications for coal transportation within 15 days.
“(We recommend) immediate initiation of the process of auction ofre-assessed/re-verified inventoried coal by the CIL with a view to dispose ofentire such coal lying in different CIL designated depots without any furtherdelay. Conduct of an enquiry by the Secretary, Mining andGeology Department, Govt of Meghalaya as to the shortage of 40,554.72 MT of re-assessed/reverified inventoried coal in the CIL designated depots in EastJaintia Hills District and to submit a report in that regard within afortnight.”
The committee has also directed the immediate consideration and passing of necessary order on theapplications submitted by Smti Ruthina Marak and Smti Rukmini Marak, by theappropriate authorities of South West Khasi Hills District, with the outer limit of 15 days, for which the necessary permission of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board shall also be obtained, so that the auctioned coal purchased by them could be transported on payment of the entire bid value andsubject to the compliance of the Revised Comprehensive Plan, 2022 as well asall other criteria in force.
“Mining and Geology Department should take steps to utilize the Rs 100 Crore deposited with CPCB,” the committee stated, emphasizing the need for proposals to utilize the funds.
‘Recover Rs 5-cr dues from coke plants’
The Justice BP Katakey committee has ordered the completion of the process of recovery of Rs 530.59 lakh from 15 Coke Oven Plants and Rs 1,31,37,800/- from M/S Shree Sakambari Ferro Alloy Pvt. Ltd.
In its 34th interim report submitted to the Meghalaya High Court, the committee directed that a status report be submitted within 3 weeks. “
The process of recovery of the aforesaid amount should be completed urgently,” the committee stated.
The committee has been informed that 20 Show Cause notices have been issued to coke producing units across the state, but no amount has been recovered so far.
“The amount payable by M/S Shree Sakambari Ferro Alloy Plant Pvt. Ltd. has been revised to Rs. 1,31,37,800/-, and steps for recovery are being taken,” the committee noted.
The committee recommends completion of the recovery process within a reasonable period, ensuring the state recovers the outstanding amount.
