SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has broken his silence on the persistent shadow of illegal coal mining in Meghalaya, defending the government’s crackdown even as a judicial panel exposes a defiant underground industry.
Speaking on Thursday, the Chief Minister asserted that while the administration is locked in a relentless battle against unlawful operations, the sheer geographical scale of the coal-rich terrain has turned enforcement into a high-stakes game of “cat and mouse.”
The political firestorm ignited following the submission of the 37th Interim Report by the one-man Justice (retd) B.P. Katakey committee. The findings are nothing short of explosive, flagging rampant illegal mining and transportation that brazenly violate the directives of the Supreme Court, the Meghalaya High Court, and the National Green Tribunal.
According to the report, enforcement agencies have already hauled in a massive 18,479.826 metric tonnes of coal and seized 47 vehicles. Perhaps most alarming was the recovery of heavy-duty mining equipment and explosives, a clear signal that the illegal extraction networks are far from dismantled.
Confronted with the report’s damning evidence, Chief Minister Sangma painted a picture of an administrative nightmare. He explained that the issue is far more complex than a simple failure of law and order, citing the impossible logistics of monitoring thousands of remote locations simultaneously.
“There are a large number of mines. With the administration and manpower we have, even if we focus on 5,000 or 6,000 locations in one go, there are still 15,000 more that remain difficult to cover,” Sangma admitted. He described a frustrating cycle where activities often restart in one area the moment monitoring teams shift their focus to another, emphasizing that the situation is “not as simple as it sounds.”
Despite these tactical hurdles, the Chief Minister maintained that the government’s sincerity should not be questioned. He revealed that the state has gone as far as shifting manpower from various districts to reinforce the enforcement grid in vulnerable coal belts. Sangma vowed that the administration is working overtime to ensure every court order and regulation is strictly adhered to, stressing that the commitment to curbing these activities remains absolute.
However, the Katakey committee’s observations tell a grittier story of what is happening on the ground. The report meticulously documented the presence of freshly mined coal, active pits, and heavy machinery, painting a vivid picture of an industry operating in the face of judicial prohibitions.
The scale of the organized network was further underscored by the arrest of 29 individuals and the issuance of 33 notices. Most chilling was the seizure of dangerous explosive materials, including 25.5 kg of gelatine sticks and 74 detonator sets, proving that those behind the illegal trade are prepared to use any means necessary to keep the coal flowing.
