The High Court of Meghalaya has demanded answers from the state government and its agencies after nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal mysteriously vanished from two officially surveyed depots in Rajaju and Diengngan villages.
The court’s sharp response came during a hearing on Thursday, following the submission of the 31st interim report by the Justice (Retd.) BP Katakey Committee, which is overseeing coal-related issues, including mining, transportation, and stock verification in the state.
In its report, the committee revealed that the missing coal had earlier been documented through official surveys, raising serious questions about the efficacy of government oversight and enforcement mechanisms.
Presiding over the bench, Justice HS Thangkhiew expressed concern over the failure to safeguard the inventoried coal and directed the state authorities to identify the individuals or officials responsible for its disappearance. The court emphasized that accountability must be fixed, and appropriate action taken against those found negligent or complicit.
The development is likely to intensify scrutiny of illegal coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya, a state that has been under judicial and environmental oversight for its long-standing issues with unregulated coal activities.
Further hearings and directives are expected as the High Court continues to monitor the matter closely in coordination with the Katakey Committee.
