A committee appointed by the Meghalaya High Court has confirmed that illegal coal mining is still taking place in East Jaintia Hills, despite repeated orders from the court, the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT. The panel, in its 34th interim report, criticised the district police for failing to detect the ongoing activities even though complaints with video evidence had already been sent to them.
The report was submitted after a meeting held on November 20, where the committee noticed that no senior police officer from East Jaintia Hills, including the district SP, attended the proceedings. Representatives from the district administration, Coal India and MSTC were present, but the absence of the police raised serious concern for the committee. It said that police cooperation is essential in monitoring and acting against illegal mining.
In its review, the committee looked into several complaints received from East and West Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills earlier this month. The complaints spoke of both illegal mining and the transportation of coal. A field inspection was carried out in Nartiang, but no signs of coal movement were found there. Even then, the panel said that many sensitive areas need stronger surveillance, especially during the dry months when illegal mining and transportation usually increase. 
One complaint from Nongstoin was found to be untrue. The coal mentioned in the case had been legally auctioned and lifted, and the committee closed the matter. But another complaint, submitted by Opposition MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang, led to a more serious finding. The complaint had video clips reportedly showing illegal coal activities at Lumbangla in East Jaintia Hills. A joint inspection was conducted, and the team found large coal dumps, fresh signs of mining and a reinforced mine opening. According to the committee, these clear indicators show that an illegal mining operation has been running there for a long time.
The report also pointed out several issues in the police case files. It noted that the dates of the FIR did not match, and no mining tools or equipment visible in the submitted videos had been seized. The committee said this was a major failure on the part of the local police, as they were unable to detect or stop the illegal activities taking place in their own area.
To address these problems, the committee issued several directions. It asked the district administration to list all vulnerable locations in East Jaintia Hills, increase patrolling and send monthly reports to the chief secretary. These reports must be supervised by the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police. It also asked authorities to strictly monitor all routes used for transporting coal to stop the movement of illegally mined material.
The panel also discussed issues related to coal auctions. It noted a new government notification that gives bidders 120 days to pay fully and lift the allotted coal. It further ordered Coal India to hold fresh auctions for coal still lying in its depots, as the April 2025 auction saw no participation from bidders.
Towards the end of the report, the committee flagged a major gap of 40,554.72 metric tonnes in coal inventory in East Jaintia Hills. It directed the Mining and Geology Department to investigate the mismatch and submit a report within two weeks.
