- "I don't have any details with me to say that there was illegal transportation," Minister Kyrmen Shylla said
- Meghalaya has one of the highest rainfall rate in the country. Due to this anything can happen, he said.
- The High Court has pulled up the state after nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal 'disappeared'
Days after the Meghalaya High Court pulled up the state after nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal 'disappeared' from two coal depots in Rajaju and Diengngan villages, a cabinet minister has come up with a bizarre explanation: Monsoon rainwater washed away the coal stock to neighbouring Bangladesh and Assam, which are located downstream of all rivers of Meghalaya.
The coal was in Ranikor Block of South West Khasi Hills district.
Meghalaya Cabinet Minister Kyrmen Shylla sparked the controversy with his remark at a time the state is reeling under judicial pressure and public scrutiny over the mysterious disappearance of nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal vanished from two coal depots.
Neither confirming nor denying the presence of illegal coal trade, the minister offered a dramatic possibility that Meghalaya's monsoon downpours might have played a role in carrying off the coal to neighbouring regions.
"I am not trying to justify but we need to remind ourselves that If you remeMeghalaya has one of the highest rainfall rate in the country. So due to this high and heavy rainfall anything can happen.mber, there is an allegation that because of the rains in Meghalaya, floods happened in Assam, and from East Jaintia hills, rain water goes to Bangladesh. You never know, it could be because of the rains the coal got carried away," the minister told reporters in Shillong on Monday.
"I cannot blame the rain alone, I don't have any details with me to say that there was illegal transportation. However, since we have the authority, we need to ensure that there is no illegal transportation or illegal mining, it should be as per law," added the minister, who is from the Jaintia hills region, which has the most coal reserves in Meghalaya.
A High Court bench led by Justice HS Thangkhiew had directed the state to identify individuals and officials responsible for allowing the illegal transport of coal.
The 31st interim report submitted by the Justice (Rtd) BP Katakey Committee is monitoring coal mining and transportation in the state.
According to the report, the missing 4,000 tonnes of coal had earlier been officially surveyed and recorded, raising serious questions about illegal transportation for which Meghalaya has long been infamous.
