Spotlight on illegal coal trade in Meghalaya after truck accident
A truck accident in Meghalaya has prompted a committee investigation into the illegal coal trade, despite a long-standing ban on rat-hole mining. The incident revealed discrepancies in transport documentation, raising questions about the legitimacy of coal being moved through the state.
Why it matters
It underscores the difficulty of enforcing environmental regulations and curbing illegal resource extraction in regions with complex local economies.
A road accident involving a coal-laden truck has reignited the debate on illegal mining and transportation of the fossil fuel in Meghalaya.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned hazardous rat-hole coal mining in the State in April 2014. The Supreme Court upheld the ban while allowing scientific mining under strict statutory compliance.
However, a series of disasters and associated deaths have pointed to rampant illegal coal mining.
In its 40th Interim Report submitted to the High Court of Meghalaya recently, the Justice (retired) B.P. Katakey Committee sought a detailed inquiry into whether the coal transported in a truck involved in an accident near Meghalaya’s capital, Shillong, on the morning of August 24 was legally auctioned or illegally mined.
The NGT and the apex court had allowed Coal India Limited to auction coal that was mined and stocked before the 2014 ban.
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