Committee recommend use of custom check gates as ‘alternative arrangement’
Shillong, June 10: Justice (retd) BP Katakey Committee has recommended the state government to take immediate steps to convince the land owners to part with their land on monthly rental basis for setting up of integrated smart check gates in Bagli, Borsora and Cherragoan for curbing illegal transportation of coal.
“Alternatively, the possibility of installation of such smart check-gates in the existing Custom Check Gates in Bagli, Borsora and Cherragaon maintained by the Custom Department of Govt. of India, may also be explored, in the event no other land is found for setting up of such smart check-gates,” Katakey said in his 30th interim report submitted to the Meghalaya High Court for issuance of necessary direction.
The Secretary, Mining and Geology department has apprised the committee that the integrated smart check-gates in Bagli, Borsora and Cherragaon could not be setup till now due to reluctance of the land owners to part with their land.
It was also apprised that the alternative land, which is the forest land, subsequently identified for setting up of the check-gates, are also not found to be suitable for setting up of integrated smart check-gates as the existing area of the forest check-gate is very small.
The secretary of the department had also stated that all efforts would be made by the State government to convince the land owners to part with their land on monthly rental basis for setting up of such integrated smart check-gate in Bagli, Borsora and Cherragaon.
South West Khasi Hills District having the international border with Bangladesh and has Custom Check Gates in Bagli, Borsora and Cherragaon, with Borsora as the headquarter, setting up of the integrated check-gates in those areas assume importance for the purpose of curbing illegal transportation of coal.
“In the State of Meghalaya the process of legal mining of coal having been started, it becomes all the more necessary to set up the said check-gates, as the possibility of illegal coal mining activities including transportation in the guise of legally mined coal would increase as soon as the extraction of legally mined coal starts,” Katakey stated.
Further, the committee has also requested the High Court to direct the state government to take the appropriate action under the provisions of MMDR Act in respect of the entire quantity of 1,96,800.78 MT (1,92,840.13 MT + 3960.65 MT) illegally mined coal, immediately and in any case within a period of 1 (one) month since the relevant coordinates and the areas in which the said quantity of coal is available have clearly been mentioned in the aerial survey reports submitted by M/S Garuda and the MBDA.
“If immediate steps are not taken, there is a possibility of pilferage of illegally mined coal as well as illegal transportation of the same,” it warned.
The committee has also recommended the need to take appropriate action against the owner, driver of the vehicle bearing registration No. ML-10-A-4862 as well as the vehicle itself under the provisions of the MMDR Act not only for transportation of coal without MTC but also for transportation of illegally mined coal as the additional quantity which is beyond the permissible limit of the vehicle besides to strictly ensure that no vehicle carries coal beyond the permissible load capacity of the vehicle.
It also emphasized the need for compliance of Clause 8(j) of the Revised Comprehensive Plant, 2022, which provides as under, as recommended by the Committee in its 28th Interim Report dated 24/04/2025: “The successful bidder shall remit the entire payment as aforesaid after adjusting the EMD within 10(Ten) days from the date of completion of auction proceedings failing which the bid shall automatically stand cancelled and his/their EMD forfeited. While the successful bidders may be allowed to make part payment for the coal valued, but all payments much be made within 10 days from the date of completion of auction proceeding failing which the bid shall automatically stand cancel and the EMD shall be forfeited. The amount of EMD(s) so forfeited shall be transferred to the Government of Meghalaya after deducting 10% of the same, which 10% shall be transferred to CIL as facilitation fee. The lot for which the bid is cancelled shall be auctioned a fresh”.
The state government has also been asked to take all required steps for realization of the existing demurrage charge and also imposition of further demurrage charges, if any, as well as the realization of the same, directed to be taken urgently,
The committee also asserted the need to notify amended Clause 9 of the SoP, 2024 for transportation of coal and other minerals from outside the State of Meghalaya to the State of Meghalaya or through the State of Meghalaya en-route to Bangladesh or other State, by inclusion of the Tax Department’s officials in the matter of scrutiny of the required documents,
Meanwhile, Katakey has also directed submission of the inquiry report into the allegation of death of a labourer in mine shaft in Musiang village.
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