+
Meghalaya once again bans rat hole coal mining in Jaintia Hills district
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Meghalaya once again bans rat hole coal mining in Jaintia Hills district

Following the directions of National Green Tribunal (NGT) earlier, the district administrations of East Jaintia Hills District once again promulgated prohibitory orders banning rat hole coal mining in the district.

A district administration official said that the prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC was issued also against illegal transportation and dumping of coal in noncompliance with the directions issued by the NGT earlier.

"Action would be taken against transportation of coal without valid challan or documents or permission, license issued by the competent authority to and from the district," the official said.

The DM's notification said that violation of the order shall attract penal actions under Section 188 of IPC apart from the other relevant laws.

Environmental activists in Meghalaya and Assam have said that despite the orders and recommendations of the Supreme Court and NGT, banning the indiscriminate and hazardous rat hole coal mining in Meghalaya, the mining continued unlawfully and exported to Bangladesh and other places with the authorities turning a blind eye.

Expressing strong displeasure, a three-member bench of the Meghalaya High Court led by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee recently asked the state Chief Secretary to ensure that illegal coal mining activities are stopped at once and a committee free from political interference be set up to monitor the execution of Supreme Court and NGT's directions and recommendations.

In April 2014, NGT had banned the indiscriminate and hazardous rat hole coal mining in Meghalaya. Many workers got trapped in the illegal and unsafe mines and subsequently died - five in May/June last year but only three bodies were retrieved from the flooded coal mine after hectic efforts for over 27 days in East Jaintia Hills district; in December 2018, in a major tragedy in the same district, 15 migrant miners from Assam died inside in an abandoned coal mine. The 15 miners, whose bodies were never found, had been stuck in the coal mine at a depth of nearly 370 feet after a tunnel was flooded with water from the nearby Lytein river.

Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills district shares borders with Assam and Bangladesh.

Following the directions of National Green Tribunal (NGT) earlier, the district administrations of East Jaintia Hills District once again promulgated prohibitory orders banning rat hole coal mining in the district. A district administration official said that the prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC was issued also against illegal transportation and dumping of coal in noncompliance with the directions issued by the NGT earlier. Action would be taken against transportation of coal without valid challan or documents or permission, license issued by the competent authority to and from the district, the official said. The DM's notification said that violation of the order shall attract penal actions under Section 188 of IPC apart from the other relevant laws. Environmental activists in Meghalaya and Assam have said that despite the orders and recommendations of the Supreme Court and NGT, banning the indiscriminate and hazardous rat hole coal mining in Meghalaya, the mining continued unlawfully and exported to Bangladesh and other places with the authorities turning a blind eye. Expressing strong displeasure, a three-member bench of the Meghalaya High Court led by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee recently asked the state Chief Secretary to ensure that illegal coal mining activities are stopped at once and a committee free from political interference be set up to monitor the execution of Supreme Court and NGT's directions and recommendations. In April 2014, NGT had banned the indiscriminate and hazardous rat hole coal mining in Meghalaya. Many workers got trapped in the illegal and unsafe mines and subsequently died - five in May/June last year but only three bodies were retrieved from the flooded coal mine after hectic efforts for over 27 days in East Jaintia Hills district; in December 2018, in a major tragedy in the same district, 15 migrant miners from Assam died inside in an abandoned coal mine. The 15 miners, whose bodies were never found, had been stuck in the coal mine at a depth of nearly 370 feet after a tunnel was flooded with water from the nearby Lytein river. Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills district shares borders with Assam and Bangladesh.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India to Invest Rs 600 Billion to Upgrade 1,000 ITIs

As part of its drive to modernise vocational training, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with Gujarat’s Labour and Employment Department, held a State-Level Workshop at the NAMTECH Campus within IIT-Gandhinagar to discuss the National Scheme for ITI Upgradation.The consultation brought together key stakeholders from industry and the training ecosystem to align expectations and support implementation of the scheme, which aims to transform 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India using a hub-and-spoke model. The total outlay stands ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India Unveils Rs 600 Billion Maritime Finance Push

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) hosted the Maritime Financing Summit 2025 in New Delhi, bringing together over 250 stakeholders including policymakers, industry leaders, global investors, and financial institutions. The summit, held under the ambit of Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047, focused on transforming India into a leading maritime power with strengthened financial, infrastructural, and technological capabilities.Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasised India's strategic progress, noting that average port turnaround times have dropped from four days to u..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Govt Allocates Rs 500 Million To Boost Community Radio

The Central Government, through its ‘Supporting Community Radio Movement in India’ scheme, has allocated Rs 500 million to strengthen the community radio ecosystem across the country. The initiative aims to assist both newly established and long-operational Community Radio Stations (CRSs), ensuring their relevance to local educational, social, cultural, and developmental needs.According to the policy published by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, CRSs may be set up by not-for-profit organisations with at least three years of demonstrated community service. These stations are ex..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?