The panel will set a deadline for the Meghalaya government. to stop the “shapeless” illegal trade in coal

Image for representation purposes. | Photo credit: Ritu Raj Konwar

GUWAHATI

A one-member judicial committee appointed by the Meghalaya High Court has given the state government 15 days to look into the “shapeless” nature of illegal coal mining and transportation in the state.

In its 38th interim report submitted to the High Court on June 17, the (defunct) BP Katakey Committee directed the state government to come up with a comprehensive action plan within a fortnight that includes measures to hold officials accountable for allowing illegal mining and transportation of coal under their watch.

Set up in April 2022, the panel was mandated to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal ban on dangerous “rat hole” coal mining and to check illegal transportation of coal in Meghalaya.

“Elaboration of a comprehensive action plan by the state government for the entire state of Meghalaya within 15 (fifteen) days to stop illegal coal mining including transport is most necessary,” the committee report said.

The directive followed a review of action plans submitted by North Garo Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills districts. The committee noted that these districts had established task forces and conducted joint enforcement operations, but their plans lacked a critical component: official accountability.

The Katakey committee found that the illegal coal trade in Meghalaya had become “faceless”, noting that authorities struggled to identify the main operators behind illegal coal mining and transportation despite extensive seizures and the existence of unmonitored surface mines.

The panel proposed a national enforcement plan to identify vulnerable areas, establish dedicated enforcement units headed by responsible officers and assess manpower requirements. He also recommended the establishment of checkpoints and police posts along high-risk transit routes.

Also Read: A decade after NGT ban, scientific coal mining block inaugurated in Meghalaya

The committee acknowledged that while some areas were coal mining hubs and others functioned primarily as transit routes, “ground realities cannot be used as an excuse to circumvent” the uniform enforcement framework.

The National Green Tribunal banned coal mining in rat holes in Meghalaya in April 2014 following reports that children were employed to mine coal from narrow tunnels that an adult of average height must crawl through. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld the ban.

Published – 21 Jun 2026 15:15 IST