Shillong: The High Court of Meghalaya has ordered the state government to submit a fresh status report within four weeks regarding the implementation of the Justice B.P. Katakey Committee’s Thirty-Eighth Interim Report. The directive follows a review of current measures aimed at curbing illegal coal mining and improving transportation oversight.
During a recent hearing, the bench examined the government's progress on auctioning seized coal and implementing accountability measures for local officials. While the state reported that over 3.4 million metric tonnes of re-inventoried coal have been successfully auctioned, judges noted that bureaucratic delays in payments and challan issuance remain problematic. The court specifically addressed the unauthorized transportation of coal by Star Cement, noting that the incident "indicated that more rigorous and efficient measures were required for the implementation of the 2024 SOP."
To address persistent issues, the government is proposing a new accountability framework. Under this plan, the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, and the Divisional Mining Officer for East Jaintia Hills would face direct responsibility for any illegal coal activities within their jurisdiction. Furthermore, the court has demanded detailed progress updates on the installation of smart check gates, as locations for several planned facilities have yet to be finalized.
The Katakey Committee has also pushed for a strict audit of coal sources used by industrial plants throughout the state. Other pending items include the physical verification of Coal India Limited depots and the potential creation of a High-Level Monitoring Committee to oversee environmental funds. The court is scheduled to revisit these issues on July 6, 2026.
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