Spotlight on illegal coal trade in Meghalaya after truck accident

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned dangerous rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya. | Photo credit: Ritu Raj Konwar

A coal-laden truck accident has reignited the debate over illegal mining and transportation of the fossil fuel in Meghalaya.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned dangerous coal mining from rat holes in the state in April 2014. The Supreme Court upheld the ban and at the same time allowed scientific mining under strict legal compliance.

However, a number of disasters and related deaths have highlighted rampant illegal coal mining.

In its 40th interim report submitted to the Meghalaya High Court recently, the Justice (Retired) BP Katakey Committee sought a detailed probe into whether the coal being transported in the truck that happened near Meghalaya’s capital Shillong on the morning of August 24 was legally auctioned or illegally mined.

The NGT and Supreme Court allowed Coal India Limited to auction coal that was mined and stored before the 2014 ban.

A high court-appointed committee called for an inquiry after it found that the vehicle was missing the mandatory Mineral Transport Challan issued by the Directorate of Mineral Resources.

According to state police, the truck that overturned was traveling from Nongstoin in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district towards Assam’s Guwahati. The truck operator appeared at the concerned police station and produced documents claiming that the coal had been auctioned and belonged to the successful bidder for 8,338,374 metric tonnes.

The operator also produced a photocopy of the Mineral Transport Challan for another truck saying that it had to be replaced by another one (the one that met with the accident) after the breakdown, the police said. However, the operator failed to produce the original challan for even one truck.

According to the committee, this violated the Standard Operating Procedures for the Transportation of Auctioned Coal. It called for the origin of the transported coal to be ascertained and asked the police to submit a status report within a fortnight from September 4.

The panel further sought to find out why the authorities did not carry out the confiscation process despite seizing 92 items of equipment and 62 vehicles in cases related to illegal coal trade registered between 2023 and August 2026.

Information provided by the Meghalaya Police revealed that 64 cases related to illegal transportation and 127 cases of illegal mining of coal were registered in the state during these four years.

The committee also pointed out the lack of action against land and mine owners, except in four cases in East Jaintia Hills district.

Published – 06 Sep 2026 02:11 IST