The Meghalaya high court recently comprising of a bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee, Justice H. S. Thangkhiew and Justice W. Diengdoh asked the chief secretary and director general of police (DGP) of Meghalaya to not get bogged down by political pressure in regards to the issue of illegal coal mining in the state. (In Re suo motu illegal mining of coal in the State of Meghalaya v. State of Meghalaya)
The court warned the chief secretary and the DGP that they will be held accountable if illegally mined coal is discovered in the state henceforth.
The court further remarked, “The SPs in all districts in the state are put on notice that if illegally mined coal in the state is found to have originated in or passed through their jurisdiction, they shall be held in contempt.”
The HC ruled that apart from the dangerous rat-hole mining that is practiced widely, especially in the eastern part of Meghalaya, there are reports that the illegally mined coal in the state is smuggled out and returned allegedly for export to a neighbouring country using forged documents.
The court said the Supreme Court had passed orders based on the initial orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to completely arrest the illegal mining of coal in the state.
Moreover, the other directions issued by the NGT and the Supreme Court are incidental to the principal part of the order and are to ensure the confiscation and disposal of the previously illegally mined coal.
The bench further directed, "The Chief Secretary to the State and the Director-General of Police will be accountable if any form of illegally mined coal is henceforth discovered in the State. The Director-General of Police will instruct all Superintendents of Police in the various districts to ensure that not an ounce of illegally mined coal is allowed to pass, whether in trucks or other vehicles. The Superintendents of Police in all districts in the State are put on notice that if illegally mined coal in the State is found to have originated in or passed through their jurisdiction, they shall be held in contempt."
The bench further remarked that the Chief Secretary, the Director-General of Police and all other police personnel will ensure strict compliance in such regard and will not bow to any political interference in the matter.
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