On Wednesday night, a tragic accident occurred in Byndihati, located in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, resulting in the death of one person when an overloaded coal truck overturned and crushed two vehicles on the road. The accident took place around 8:30 PM, and the victim was an occupant of one of the cars that the truck fell upon, although authorities have yet to identify the deceased.
This incident unfolded shortly before the Meghalaya High Court was set to hear a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pertaining to illegal coal mining on Thursday. In a previous hearing held on February 25, a division bench led by Justices HS Thangkhiew and Wanlura Diengdoh directed both the current and former Superintendents of Police of East Jaintia Hills to be present at the upcoming session.
The Court had noted that illegal coal mining remains rampant due to significant market demand and profitability, emphasizing that these activities cannot persist without buyers and financial backing. Additionally, the bench expressed concerns regarding the leadership of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) assigned to investigate illegal mining operations, highlighting that it was being led by a relatively junior officer. In response, the Advocate General assured that a senior official would be appointed to enhance the effectiveness and incisiveness of the investigation.
Authorities have taken action against illegal mining by filing 77 FIRs, arresting 14 individuals, and seizing over 16,000 metric tonnes of illegally extracted coal along with explosives. Despite these measures, the High Court has underscored the necessity for more robust enforcement efforts to combat the ongoing issue of illegal mining in the region.
