Shillong, May 3: In a fresh set of measures to check illegal coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya, the Justice BP Katakey Committee recommended for strict enforcement of the SoP 2024, GPS-fitted trucks, smart check-gates, and personal accountability of officers.
The panel’s 37th interim report to the Meghalaya High Court also flagged gaps in enforcement and delays in earlier directives while listing 21 recommendations for the Court’s consideration to stop illegal mining activities in the State.
It stressed “strict compliance of various clauses of SoP, 2024, so as to prevent illegal coal mining activities, including transportation of coal into and from the State of Meghalaya, otherwise it may not be feasible to stop the illegal coal mining activities.”
It also sought verification of documents produced by M/s Star Cement Meghalaya Limited and Star Cement Limited for “transporting 2,93,569.349 MT coal by 8174 truckloads between 02/01/2025 to 28/02/2026” and called for action “in case of non-availability/non-production of any of the documents, required to be produced under the said SoP.”
The report further recommended investigation into violations of the SoP, citing a truck bearing registration No. ML-11-A-1473 “which met with an accident on 04/03/2026 at Bindihati village causing injuries to a number of persons and death of a lady,” in connection with Khliehriat PS Case No. 106(03)/2026.
To tighten monitoring of coal movement, the Committee suggested modifying the procedure for transport of coal from mining leases.
It recommended the “use of vehicle fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) device for transportation of coal,” with details to be furnished to the Director of Mineral Resources, Shillong.
Other measures include pasting of specific colour stickers, to be supplied by the Directorate of Mineral Resources, Shillong, in prominent place of the front windshield of the vehicle and “fixation of designation route and the functional smart integrated exit check-gate(s) through which the vehicle must passed through.”
The panel also called for production of “Invoice /E-Way bills in compliance with the GST norms; certificate of origin; weighment slip and transit pass(es) at the exit check-gate by the transporter.”
The report pushed for setting up of integrated smart DMR Check-gates at convenient places on routes including Nangalbira-Mendipathar Railway Station, Rongjeng-Dainadubi, and Nangalbibrda-Gasuapara.
It also sought conversion of the temporary DMR check-gate in Mendipathar to a “round the clock smart check-gate” due to allegations of illegal coal being transported to Mendipathar Railway Station.
A smart check-gate was also recommended in Athiabari village area in South West Khasi Hills District and near the Athiabari Police Out Post to prevent transportation of illegally mined coal to Assam side.
Reiterating an earlier suggestion, the Committee said officers entrusted with preventing illegal mining should be “personally responsible for any illegal mining activities that may occur within their jurisdiction,” noting this recommendation from its 35th Interim Report “has not been implemented so far.”
On illegally mined coal, the panel said steps must be taken for transportation of “1,55,390.6 MT illegally mined coal, out of 1,92,840.13 MT found by M/s Garuda UAV in the aerial survey conducted,” to identified depots, and to complete the transportation, by end of April, 2026.
It added that auction of the coal should follow after obtaining necessary orders.
It also directed immediate issuance of notice for auction of re-assessed coal in CIL designated depots, and lodging of FIRs relating to the remaining missing quantity of 33307.7 MT illegally mined coal in the jurisdictional police station(s), which has not been done despite the recommendation made by the Committee in its 35th Interim Report.
The Committee asked for “re-consideration of payment of adequate compensation to the legal heirs of the Mosaid Ali,” citing the SP, East Jaintia Hills’ report that the death occurred due to a fall in a mine pit and completion of investigation in Khliehriat PS Case No. 11(01)2026.
It recommended that the action plan for East Jaintia Hills be implemented in South West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills, North Garo Hills and East Garo Hills District and called for a “common action plan for North Garo Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills Districts, identifying the vulnerable areas of illegal coal mining” with officers made “personally liable in case of occurrence of any illegal coal mining activities in their respective areas.”
Other recommendations included urgent recovery of demurrage charges from defaulting bidders, expeditious audit of coal sources, and investigation of land owners “over whose land illegal coal mining activities were/are detected.”
