Shillong, Oct 20: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Thursday said that the government will ‘fully comply’ with the court order to completely arrest illegal mining of coal in the state. Speaking to reporters, Rymbui said, “whatever observation by the court, the government will implement to the fullest.”

On Tuesday (October 18), the Meghalaya High Court had directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police not to bow to any “political interference” while implementing the order to completely arrest the illegal mining of coal in the state.

“The Chief Secretary, the Director-General of Police and all other police personnel will ensure strict compliance in such regard and will not bow to any political interference in the matter,” the full bench had said in its order while hearing a PIL on the matter.

The court had also warned that the CS and the DGP will be accountable if any form of illegally mined coal is henceforth discovered in the State while directing the DGP to instruct all Superintendents of Police (SPs) in the various districts to ensure that not an ounce of illegally mined coal is allowed to pass, whether in trucks or other vehicles.

“The SPs in all districts in the State are put on notice that if illegally mined coal in the State is found to have originated in or passed through their jurisdiction, they shall be held in contempt,” it had further warned.

Rymbui said time and again the strictures have been issued and “we have seen many of the illegal trucks and illegal coal have been seized.”

Stating it is not fair to simply throw allegations at the government, the Home Minister said, “We are here to see that the law of the land prevails and whatever shortcoming that is there we will have to rectify so that illegalities should stop completely.”