Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma claims he lacks the details of the 41st interim report from the High Court-appointed committee. Led by retired Justice B.P. Katakey, the panel found an undisputed shortage of over 13 lakh metric tonnes of inventoried coal. The report also reveals that not one abandoned rat-hole mine has been closed or fenced off, despite years of court orders. The oversight persists.
Sangma addressed the media on Tuesday regarding the findings. He needs time to study the document before providing an official response. "I don’t know about the exact report, and I think it will not be correct for me to reply to that," Sangma said. He promised a comment only after gathering the necessary facts.
The Chief Minister bypassed questions about the massive loss of government revenue. He mentioned that the state is currently using the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund to manage cleanup efforts. However, strict procedures mandated by the central government and the courts have slowed the work. Pilot projects for mine closures are stuck in the pipeline. Officials are currently waiting on vital clearances to move forward. Sangma offered no timeline for completion and drew a line between the physical fencing of mines and the actual closure process.
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