Meghalaya High Court Demands Answers on 'Revealing' Illegal Coal Mining Report

The Meghalaya High Court has put the state government on notice, demanding a 'status report' on the 41st Interim Report concerning widespread illegal coal mining. Submitted by Justice (retired) B.P. Katakey on September 20, 2026, the report was deemed 'revealing and exhaustive' by a Division Bench of Justices Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew and Wanlura Diengdoh on Monday, October 5, 2026. The state respondents now have a tight deadline to respond to its findings, which are expected to detail persistent illegalities. This directive comes amidst a complex and dangerous situation where illegal rat-hole mining continues despite a blanket ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014, a ban later upheld by the Supreme Court. Justice Katakey's previous reports have consistently flagged serious issues, including the overstatement of legally extracted coal, a significant number of abandoned mines, and the state's failure to implement a comprehensive 'mine closure policy'. Recent incidents, like the fatal explosions in East Jaintia Hills in February 2026, underscore the severe human and environmental costs of these unchecked operations, drawing criticism from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change over enforcement lapses. With the next hearing scheduled for November 2, 2026, all eyes are on the state government's forthcoming 'status report'. This ongoing judicial scrutiny pressures Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma administration, which has been pushing for a special framework for 'scientific coal mining' and seeking delegated powers from the Centre under the 'Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957' to manage tribal mineral rights. The court's persistent demands highlight the deep-seated challenges in balancing economic interests, environmental protection, and human safety in Meghalaya's mining sector.