Shillong, July 25: The Meghalaya High Court has pulled up the state government over the mysterious disappearance of nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal from two designated depots in Rajaju and Diengngan villages. The vanished coal had been officially documented during earlier surveys, raising serious concerns about regulatory oversight and potential complicity.

A bench headed by Justice H.S. Thangkhiew issued the directive on Thursday, asking the state authorities and relevant agencies to identify and hold accountable those responsible for the missing coal, which had previously been marked for legal action. The matter surfaced in the 31st interim report submitted by the Justice (Retd) B.P. Katakey Committee, which has been tasked with monitoring coal mining and transportation activities in Meghalaya.

The court has also directed the state government to file a detailed affidavit explaining the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and the measures taken to trace the missing coal. The development has once again spotlighted the issue of illegal coal mining and mismanagement in the state, prompting calls for stricter enforcement and transparency.