Meghalaya Announces Judicial Probe Into Illegal Rat-Hole Mining Blast and Coal Discrepancies
Following a fatal blast in an illegal rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills, the Meghalaya government has constituted a judicial inquiry commission. A panel headed by Justice B.P. Katakey flagged a massive discrepancy in surveyed coal stocks, with over 1.92 lakh tonnes missing. Despite a 2014 ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), illegal mining persists through thousands of rat-holes. Activists are calling for an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe, arguing that illegal mining has transitioned from a law-and-order issue to a serious economic offense involving complex financial networks.
Key Points
- A judicial inquiry commission has been formed to investigate the February 5 mine blast that killed 27 miners.
- The Justice B.P. Katakey panel found nearly 2 lakh tonnes of coal missing from surveyed dumps.
- Rat-hole mining was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in April 2014 due to safety and environmental risks.
- Social activists are demanding an ED probe into the financial networks behind illegal mining operations.
Exam Facts
- National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on rat-hole mining: April 2014.
- Justice B.P. Katakey (retired) heads the oversight panel.
- Over 22,000 illegal rat-hole mine openings identified in East Jaintia Hills.
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