Why Meghalaya ministers rain swept away coal remark has sparked a row
Meghalaya's Excise Minister offered a controversial explanation for the disappearance of nearly 4,000 tonnes of coal: heavy rainfall washed it away. This statement followed a Meghalaya High Court rebuke regarding the missing coal from Rajaju and Diengngan villages. While the minister didn't explicitly condone the loss, his remarks sparked outrage, given Meghalaya's high rainfall and the ongoing debate surrounding illegal coal mining practices, banned since 2014 by the NGT.
New Delhi: A minister in Meghalaya tried to conveniently justify the disappearance of over 4,000 tonnes of coal by blaming it on the rains. He said: "You never know...because of rain, the coal might have swept away."
His bizarre remark has triggered a massive controversy in a state that receives the highest rainfall in the country. The minister's comments came days after the Meghalaya High Court rapped the state government after nearly 4,000 tonnes of illegally mined coal "disappeared" from two coal depots in Rajaju and Diengngan villages. On July 25, the court directed the government to take action against officials responsible for monitoring the coal stock.
What did the minister say
Speaking to media persons, Excise Minister Kyrmen Shylla said, "Meghalaya receives the highest rainfall. You never know... because of rain, the coal might have swept away. Chances are very high."
However, the minister made it clear that he was not trying to justify the disappearance and acknowledged that there was no conclusive proof yet to determine whether the loss resulted from natural causes or illegal activity.
"I cannot blame just the rain. It could be or it could not be. I really don't have any kind of details," he pointed out. He underlined that all coal mining and transportation activities must adhere to the law, and authorities must take measures to prevent illegal practices.
Responding to allegations of ongoing illegal coal mining and transport in the state, Shylla said concrete evidence was required to establish such claims and that multiple departments were responsible for monitoring such activities.
"But I believe that our people, if it is for survival, might do it illegally... otherwise nobody wants to do anything that can harm the state," he said.
Why coal mining and transportation was banned
In 2014, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya. It pointed to widespread unregulated and hazardous mining practices, particularly the controversial 'rat-hole' mining method commonly used in the state. The order came amid rising concerns over environmental degradation, water pollution, and recurring fatalities in the dangerous mines, especially in East Jaintia Hills. Earlier this year, scientific coal mining officially started in East Jaintia Hills for the first time.
The 31st interim report submitted by the Justice (Retd.) BP Katakey Committee is overseeing coal mining and transportation activities in Meghalaya.