An illegal coal mine operating openly in Lumbangla was overlooked by officers at the Umpleng Outpost, according to a new interim report from the Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey-led committee that highlights policing shortcomings in East Jaintia Hills. According to the report, there were obvious indications of activity at the mine, including cranes, tools, boundaries made of reinforced cement concrete, and more than 2,100 MT of illicit coal stacked close by.
The committee’s conclusions are based on a complaint that Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang filed on November 19, 2025, in which he provided video evidence of actual mining. He also told the panel that the Lumbangla Dorbar Shnong’s previous complaints to the Chief Secretary (May 9, 2025) and the SP (August 11, 2025) had not resulted in any action.
Only two coal dumps were seized by authorities, despite photos showing cranes and other equipment at the mine site. Images also revealed RCC structures and brand-new huts covered in plastic at the mine entrance, suggesting a continuous and active operation.
Justice Katakey pointed out that despite the NGT’s 2014 ban, the Supreme Court’s 2019 order, and numerous follow-up directives, illicit mining in the region persists unchecked. The DC and SP have been urged by the committee to map susceptible mining areas, step up patrols, block access points and halt the transportation of coal illegally.
+ There are no comments
Add yours