SHILLONG: In a stunning turn of events that has left the state’s mining circles rattled, the Meghalaya government has initiated a high-level investigation into the mysterious disappearance of over 4,000 metric tonnes of inventoried coal. The move comes after a High Court-appointed committee flagged the audacious vanishing act from two designated storage sites, casting a dark shadow over the state’s coal monitoring and transportation protocols.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who also holds the Home portfolio, confirmed the development to reporters, stating that a no-nonsense directive has been issued to district authorities. “We have asked our deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to thoroughly investigate if there has been any misappropriation or illegal diversion of this coal stock,” Tynsong said, acknowledging the seriousness of the revelation. The committee’s report to the Meghalaya High Court pointed to a critical failure in the state’s oversight, with the vanished coal having already been declared as extracted and inventoried.
Tynsong’s stern warning signals a potential legal battle ahead. “If any wrongdoing is established, we will proceed according to the law. Even if it requires us to approach the Supreme Court, we will not hesitate,” he stated. The probe, he added, will be multi-faceted, focusing on tracing not just the coal but also the diesel inventories, scrutinising every document, and conducting extensive field verifications to unearth the truth behind this high-stakes disappearance. Officials have confirmed that a comprehensive report detailing the findings will be submitted to the court in due course, as the state grapples with the fallout of what appears to be a colossal theft under its very nose.
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