The Meghalaya government has initiated a comprehensive probe into the alleged misappropriation of over 4,000 metric tonnes of coal. The investigation, directed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, comes in the wake of a report from a High Court-appointed committee that highlighted the disappearance of a significant coal stockpile. The news was widely reported on August 2 (Saturday), by the media.
Deputy Chief Minister Tynsong, who also holds the Home portfolio, confirmed that instructions have been issued to all district authorities and police to conduct a thorough inquiry. “We have asked deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to investigate if there has been any misappropriation or illegal diversion of coal,” Mr. Tynsong stated publicly. He further added that if any wrongdoing is confirmed, action will be taken according to the law, and the government is prepared to approach the Supreme Court if necessary.
The missing coal was reportedly from two designated storage sites in Ri-Bhoi and West Khasi Hills districts, where it had been declared as extracted and inventoried. The High Court-appointed Justice (retired) B.P. Katakey Committee’s interim report raised serious questions about the state’s coal inventory monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, particularly concerning illegal mining and transportation.
The state’s probe will focus on tracing both coal and diesel inventories, examining transportation logs, consignment documentation, and the roles of various departments involved. A comprehensive report on the findings is expected to be submitted to the High Court in due course. This development underscores the ongoing scrutiny over coal mining practices in Meghalaya, which has been under a ban on unscientific rat-hole mining since 2014 by the National Green Tribunal, with conditional mining allowed later under strict guidelines.
