Meghalaya NGO raises objection after non-existent coal auctioned by SWKH administration

TURA:

The United Achik Youth Forum (UAYF), South West Khasi Hills (SWKH) has raised objections against the administration after one of the Autonomous District Council (ADC) had auctioned over 26000 MT of ‘seized coal’ which they allegedly did not even exist.

There was falsification of information about coal in the Borsora area, where the administration had said the coal was. The extracted coal, as per the administration, was from the two-lane road project that is ongoing between Lallad (Borsora) to Nongjri in the same district, President of UAYF, Sangra Marak said.

As per the order by the Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR) of the state, the ‘coal stock’ had been auctioned and was won by one Skingford Nongbri, who was allowed to transport 50 per cent of the amount (26512 MT) and challans were issued (600 numbers).

The order allowing the lifting of coal had been made on October 1, 2020.

“There is no such quantity that lies unclaimed and extracted during the process of road construction. We object to the fact that when the coal does not exist, how can the ADC of Ranikor civil subdivision hold an auction,” he asked.

The NGO further asked the National Green Tribunal (NGT) members, based in Shillong, to physically verify if such quantity of coal was actually extracted.

“If it is found that the coal does not exist, then the government should refund the amount to the bidder that has already been paid to the state through real-time gross settlement (RTGS) as otherwise it will restart the illegal mining and transportation of coal from Borsora once again,” said Marak in his complaint sent today.

Marak further asked the NGT committee to cancel the lifting order after physical verification if the amount of coal in the area is lesser than the quantity of coal stated in the winning bid.