Congress threatens to take legal action against MDA govt over coal scam

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 23, 2020

Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma on Friday said that he will quit politics if anybody can prove that the 32 lakh metric tons of coal is still there in the different coal rich districts of the state.

Throwing an open invitation to civil society organizations to join the “save Meghalaya campaign”, former chief minister also said that the Congress party will take legal action against the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government for looting the state.

“I will be visiting different parts of the state along with friends next week and I will throw an open invitation to members of the civil society organizations, who have stood firmly to defend the state and protect the interest of the state or any individuals to be part of this save Meghalaya campaign,” Mukul told reporters after a CLP meeting held here.

“We will take all the available means including pressurizing the government of India to take legal action,” he said.

Taking a jibe at the Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, the LO said, “I saw the CM saying that people have to change their mindset about the transportation of coal. If anybody can go and prove that this 32 lakh MT of coal has not been lifted and it is still there, I will quit politics.”

Issuing a strong warning against government officials, Mukul said, “I would like to warn these officers, if they go on acting as agents of these corrupt politicians, God help them because we are not going to allow the state to be looted, we will take recourse to legal action.”

He said to prove things beyond reasonable doubt, the act of corruption, the Congress is going to see on the spot and tell the world what is the truth.

“It is not mere allegation, we have watched them, we have been vigilant, we have tried to correct them a number of times, we have drawn the attention of the government, did you see any response,” he said.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s judgment passed on July 3, last year, Mukul said there were 32 lakh MT of coal in different districts of the state and this figure was presented before the Supreme Court by none other than the state government.

Alleging that all this coal is being illegally transported everyday, he said the 32 lakh MT of coal should have been auction as per the order of the apex court, but they have delayed for reasons best known to them adding the delay is seen as the modus operandi to facilitate this coal, to be lifted and transported illegally without paying royalty to the state.

“If this is not an act of money laundering then what is it? If anybody wants to challenge me, they can accompany me to those sites on ground zero and see where the coals are and you will see the truth,” he said.

Mukul said he has shared with the media the findings regarding his visit to Garo Hills yesterday.

He said the findings are in relation to the public auction of certain quantities of coal indicated in the public auction notice at 34,000 MT.

“I received some inputs from concerned vigilant citizens of Garo Hills, who submitted these findings in writing to me. Therefore I made a programme and went there. How much coal is there? Hardly, 4,000-5,000 MT but not 34,000 MT. Now, the government tries to say the fact is different and not as per the allegation. The allegation is that 34,000 MT of coal which was auctioned by the authorities, they have shown papers but it’s a well scripted modus operandi, they must have a wonderful script writer to deny this allegation and they must be well paid script writers,” he said.

“If somebody files FIR, they will say this is unclaimed coal. The modus operandi is that with this issue of challan, they will keep on transferring one after another truck it is not just one truck. You just go to Mawryngkneng road or Shillong bypass, watch how many trucks with 12 tyres, what is the quantity of coal indicated in the challan, 9 tons? 12 tons? Have you seen trucks carrying 9 MT of coal anywhere? Who are they cheating? If this is not money laundering then what is this. Where is this royalty going? Who the hell is getting this royalty?” he said

Stating that the royalty should go to the government’s exchequer, the former chief minister however said today the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) are in problems and are crying for resources.

“This royalty shares are supposed to take care of the resources needed for these ADCs but they (government) are destroying our ADCs, they are destroying the state.. How much money that should have come to the government exchequer has been ultimately siphoned off through this modus operandi. Now it is not possible for one individual to do it. There is complete machinery involved that is why you see rampant and repeat transfers and posting of officers,” he said.

Further alleging that the NGT guidelines were not followed for transportation of coal, Mukul said the officers who are responsible to implement this guideline are the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP).

“As I have said there is no 34000 MT of coal in that identified depo. I will urge the Chief Secretary to ask for the challan first and verify this because this is continuation of modus operandi to facilitate illegal mining and they don’t want resumption of legal mining as per the judgment of the Supreme Court,” he said.

According to him, nobody from the government is responding to the allegations about the illegal mining and transportation of coal, loss of revenue because they thing they can get away with it as most of the government officers are being dictated to do certain things.