Cong accuses MDA govt of running a cartel to facilitate illegal coal mining & transportation

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 5, 2020

SHILLONG: The opposition Congress has accused the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government of creating a “cartel” and “misusing of officers” to facilitate illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.

This allegation was made by the Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma while hitting at the state government for its alleged delay to comply with the order passed by the Lokayukta for instituting a CBI probe into matter and termed it as an attempt to “hide” or “destroy” the evidences.

“They (govt) have created a cartel to engage in these irregularities and corruption pertaining to coal mining and transportation and I am serious about it,” Mukul, also former chief minister of the state, told reporters here on Wednesday.

He said the government has created a cartel to engage in such irregularities depriving the state and the autonomous district councils of their scarce resources and vitiating the environment and bringing bad name to the state.

Slamming the chief minister Conrad K Sangma for denying that there is no illegal mining and transporation of coal, the leader of opposition said, “He (Conrad) is in continuous denial mode and I am ashame of his statements.”

“I would suggest that let the government provide its nominee or representative or provide anybody from the government along with independent bodies, political parties and media to go and see what is happening on ground zero and substantiate his claim that there is no illegal mining. Everyone knows what is happening. You just go to the national highways, go to Assam… go and check any coal in Assam find out its origin, it is origin of Meghalaya, there is a cartel working,” he added.

Alleging that government officers are being used as “ponds” in the cartel, the leader of opposition said, “It is time for them (officers) not to act as pond… I am told these officers are constantly told “you do what we say otherwise you will be removed”. It is a serious, unacceptable distressful precedence that is being created.”

Mukul said the government is trying to delay the whole process of investigation ordered by the Lokayukta.

“There is complete attempt by the government to scuttle this process of law and we will not allow it. We will pressurize the government to allow the anti-graft law to prevail and ensure that state of Meghalaya is not defame or subjected to that kind of narrative which revolves around corruption and irregularities,” he said.

He said that he had an interaction with his colleagues and state functionaries of the party and we will proceed further to ensure government does not deviate from its responsibility under any circumstances and all those involved in irregularities and corrupt practices are brought under the purview of the law and to let the law takes its own course.

The former chief minister also said any attempt to hide and destroy evidences is punishable as per the relevant laws of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and judgments by the Supreme Court.

“I would like to warn all those concerns that any attempt to engage in activities amount to facilitating this kind of corrupt practices and attempt to further hide or destroy evidences of corruption that has taken place,” he said.

Pointing out that the government has also found a new way to facilitate the illegal activities, Mukul said the whole modus operandi is that they have claim that there is an unclaim coal.

“Now what is the procedure if there is an unclaim coal or unclaim property, there is a due process to verify whether there is an owner or not, has it been done? Was there any public notice? Number two, they proceed ahead with the public auction and one of the complainants say that they went and tried to verify where the so-called unclaim coal seized by the concerned authorities are, the complainant say that though he tried to find out but he couldn’t find. It is a serious case that means no coal but only auction. The so-called auction, notification was given 15 days ahead but the actual auction in the print media was one day ahead of the auction day. You called public auction is the way to do public auction? Have they not known how public auction is done? So these are standing evidence of irregularities and actual cartel that this government has created,” he said.

Asserting that failure to protect the interest of the state itself is corruption, the Congress leader said “there has been irregularities in the past but response of the government and officials is to correct and go after law breakers and criminals  but not in a denial mode for what because the intend is to facilitate.”

According to him, the matter requires further investigation as per the order of the Lokayukta to unfold all the truth.

He also appealed that all concerns should stand firm and demand that the state government to comply with the mandate and recommendation of this anti-graft law.

“If they are clean why they are trying to delay as delaying in itself will facilitate destruction of evidence that is why if any of these evidences are destroyed relevant law against destroying of evidences have to prevail and follow.”

“I am assuring the people of the state we will not allow it to be defeated but will ensure the whole spirit of this act which is a culmination of the collective intend and desire of the people ultimately stands tall and act as a strong deterrent and ensure probity in public life and to ensure probity to the people associated with government departments and associated with the implementation of various programmes,” the leader of opposition stated.