Shillong: The Justice (Retd) BP Katakey Committee has issued a stern 15-day deadline to the Meghalaya government, demanding a comprehensive statewide action plan to dismantle the illegal coal trade. This directive comes after the committee reviewed anti-mining efforts in North, East, and South Garo Hills, finding that existing task forces lacked the necessary focus on official accountability.
Current enforcement strategies have failed to address the systemic issue of illegal transit and mining. To fix this, the committee now requires the state to ensure specific officers are held personally responsible for any illicit activities occurring within their jurisdictions. The committee stated that, "ground realities" cannot be used as an excuse to bypass a unified enforcement framework.
The required statewide plan must identify high-risk zones, establish dedicated enforcement units led by designated officers, and properly staff vulnerable transit routes with police outposts and check-gates. While the committee supports training personnel on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, it maintains that strict enforcement remains the primary priority.
Going forward, the state must submit monthly implementation reports to the Secretary of the Mining and Geology Department. The committee maintains that without a coordinated, accountable strategy, efforts to curb illegal coal operations will continue to fall short of their intended goals.
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