SHILLONG, Two cement companies in Meghalaya have been accused of violating stipulated rules in transporting more than 2.93 lakh metric tonnes of coal, a court-appointed high-powered committee said in its latest report.
The single-member panel of retired Justice BP Kataki noted that the two companies transported dry fuel from outside the state between February 2025 and February this year “without obtaining mandatory approvals under the 2024 SOPs”.
Justice BP Kataki chairs the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee compliance with its directives on curbing illegal coal mining and transport.
The authority indicated in its report submitted to the court on Friday that although the companies submitted a request on April 8 of last year to obtain permission to transport coal for the period from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, no approval was granted by the competent authority.
The committee found that the transportation of more than 2.93 lakh metric tons of coal violated several provisions of the standard operating procedures, including failure to obtain prior approval and failure to submit mandatory weekly returns.
The single-member committee also pointed out the absence of important documents, such as mineral transport documents, tax invoices, e-way bills, certificates of origin and weight details, indicating serious procedural lapses in the movement of shipments.
Referring to the incident that occurred on March 4 this year in the East Jaintia Hills area, the committee said that coal was also being transported without approval.
The report highlighted gaps in implementation, noting that investigative agencies failed to investigate the role of landowners in areas where illegal mining activities were detected.
The committee recommended strict implementation of the provisions of standard operating procedures, verification of documents related to coal transported by companies, and a detailed investigation into violations.
It also called for the introduction of GPS vehicle tracking, colour-coded identification systems, designated transportation routes and smart integrated checkpoints to prevent illegal movement of coal.
The committee recommended that the enforcement strategies adopted in the East Jaintia Hills district be extended to other coal-bearing areas in the state to reduce the menace of illegal mining and transportation.
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