SHILLONG: In a decisive move to avert further loss of life and environmental devastation, Justice (Retd) B.P. Katakey, head of the High Court-appointed Coal Mining Monitoring Committee, has directed the East Jaintia Hills District Administration to urgently identify low-cost methods to seal more than 22,000 abandoned rat-hole coal mines across the district.
Calling the open pits a grave threat to human life and the environment, Justice Katakey said the challenge lies not in intent but in cost-effective execution.
Justice Katakey cautioned that sealing the abandoned mines using conventional engineering methods would be financially unsustainable for the state.
Currently, a pilot project is underway to seal 50 abandoned mines, based on a technical report submitted by the Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited (CMPDI). However, Katakey warned that replicating this high-cost model across all 22,000 pits would place an unbearable burden on the exchequer.
“Applying the CMPDI model to all abandoned mines would be prohibitively expensive,” he observed, stressing the need for innovative and affordable alternatives.
Despite the cost concerns, Justice Katakey expressed satisfaction with the robust enforcement measures adopted by the East Jaintia Hills Police and District Administration to curb illegal coal mining.
Key enforcement steps include:
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Drone Surveillance: Aerial monitoring of remote and inaccessible mining areas.
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Additional Resources: A request to Police Headquarters for another drone to strengthen surveillance.
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Special Deployment: Extra Assistant Commissioners (EACs) assigned specifically to monitor vulnerable mining zones.
These measures, he noted, have significantly tightened oversight and deterred illegal operations.
To balance safety with affordability, Justice Katakey proposed a grassroots-driven strategy, urging district authorities to actively involve local communities.
He directed the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to — work with Rangbah Shnong and Dorbar Shnongs to identify practical, low-cost sealing methods; engage NGOs to support community-based interventions and utilise Local Labour, allowing residents themselves to help secure abandoned pits—making the process faster, cheaper, and more inclusive.
Justice Katakey underscored that the abandoned mines are not merely environmental scars but deadly traps, responsible for repeated fatalities and severe ecological damage.
He stressed that immediate, coordinated action is critical to prevent further deaths and irreversible environmental harm.
“The way forward lies in the synergy between government authority, public participation, and modern technology,” Justice Katakey said, calling for a united approach to resolve Meghalaya’s long-standing coal mining crisis.
