Justice Katakey recommends drone surveillance to curb illegal Coal Mining in Meghalaya

Shillong, Feb 12: Justice (retired) BP Katakey-led committee has recommended the need for conducting proper drone surveillance in all the districts for the purpose of effectively checking illegal coal mining activities in the state.

In its 27th interim report submitted before the Meghalaya High Court, the committee said, “(We recommend) conducting proper drone surveillance in all the districts of State of Meghalaya for the purpose of effectively checking the illegal coal mining activities, as there are difficult terrains and certain areas where illegal coal mining activities generally occur are not easily accessible, for which use of drone for such surveillance needs to be maximize and made effective by: identification of the areas in each districts in the State of Meghalaya, by the concerned Superintendents of Police, within a week, where illegal coal mining activities were earlier found to have done for conduct of video surveillance.”

It also emphasized the need to constitute immediately a dedicated team of officers headed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent Police and consisting police personnel who have already been trained at the Police Head Quarters, Shillong, by the Superintendents of Police and to issue necessary direction whenever required for conduct of drone surveillance, priorising the area of surveillance based on the earlier illegal coal mining activities and also the inputs that may be received and making the police officer heading the committee responsible of such drone surveillance and maintenance of the video footage for 6(six) months, recorded during such drone surveillance;

“Submission of weekly report of such drone surveillance by the officer heading the team to the respective Superintendents of Police indicating the number of sorties made, locality /area covered, outcome of such surveillance and the police station case registered as well as the action taken thereon; conduct of surveillance by the aforesaid team constituted by the Superintendent of Police in each identified areas under each police station of the district; submission of fortnightly report by the Superintendents of Police of the concerned districts to the Director General of Police, Meghalaya on the said drone surveillance along with the certification of conduct of such drone surveillance properly and also his view on such surveillance,” the report said.

The committee also recommended issuance of necessary direction by the Director General of Police, Meghalaya or any officer authorized by him, not below the rank of Inspector General of Police to the Superintendents of Police from time to time and whenever necessary to maximize the use of drone surveillance and also to achieve the objectives for which Drone Control Rooms are set-up;

It also asserted the need for submission of report by the Director General of Police, Meghalaya or the officer authorized by him in this behalf, to the Chief Secretary to the Govt. of Meghalaya based on the aforesaid report and the views of the Superintendents of Police, and also containing his view on effectiveness of Drone Control Rooms, who either himself or by an officer not below the rank of Additional Chief Secretary, as authorized by him, may issue necessary directives for conduct of proper surveillance to achieve the objectives;

The committee said there is need to ensure conduct of regular patrolling and to increase the frequency of the same in all the areas by the Superintendents of Police of all the districts, otherwise by drone surveillance.

“The Officer-in-Charge of all the Police Stations of all the Districts shall submit fortnightly report to the concerned Superintendents of Police of the districts, who shall compile the same and issue necessary direction, whenever necessary. Such compilation shall be sent to the Police Head Quarters as well as to the Mining and Geology Department for taking appropriate follow up action. The Superintendents of Police of the neighbouring districts shall coordinate with each other in this respect.”

It also directed interpretation/recording the findings on the maps prepared based on the aerial (UAV) survey conducted by MBDA and also to make the volumetric assessment of coal found in the villages, with the help of the expert and to submit the same within 15 (fifteen) days by the Mining and Geology Department, Govt. of Meghalaya as well as MBDA. The assistance of the North East Space Application Centre (NESAC), Umium, Meghalaya may also be taken for necessary interpretation/ to record findings based on the aforesaid aerial (UAV) survey maps provided by the MBDA;

The committee also directed completion of the aerial survey by M/S Garuda UAV Soft Solution Pvt. Ltd in East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills Districts as well as submission of the final report including volumetric assessment of the coal found during such aerial survey, on or before 28/02/2025, by the Mining and Geology Department, Govt. of Meghalaya;

“To take the following steps to protect the seized coal from disappearance either because of the theft or otherwise and subject to the necessary permission to be obtained from the concerned Courts :- (a) immediate setting up of the centralized depots except in South West Khasi Hills (which has only 34.75 MT in Ganibags); (b) shifting of the entire coal seized under the provisions of MMDR Act, 1957 to the centralized depot urgently,” it said.

Further, the Committee also recommended the immediate initiation of the process for auction of the entire available quantity of re-assessed/re-verified inventoried coal, including the quantity of coal to be put up for re-auction after forfeiture of security deposit and initial bid money deposited by the successful auction purchasers due to their failure either to pay the balance bid value and / or to lift the auction purchase coal from the CIL depot, so that the entire process of the auction of re-assessed/re-verified inventoried coal, in terms of the directions issued by the Supreme Court, could be completed immediately;

It also recommended not to grant any further extension of time either to deposit the balance bid value or to lift the purchased coal from CIL depot or both to any of the auction purchasers without first realization of up-to-date demurrage charges due;

“(The government is also recommended) to take immediate steps for realization of unpaid demurrage charges from the successful auction purchasers; to forfeit the earnest money deposit and part bid value, if paid, of the successful auction purchasers who have not granted extension of time to deposit the balance bid amount and / or to lift the coal from the CIL designated depot within the time allowed and to put such coal for reauction by CIL; to forfeit the earnest money and part bid value, if paid, of the successful auction purchasers who have not paid the entire demurrage charges and to put such coal for re-auction by the CIL,”

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