Amid mounting scrutiny over the mysterious disappearance of 4,000 metric tonnes of seized illegal coal in Meghalaya, Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police), Prestone Tynsong, said the government has directed the concerned district administration to uncover the truth. That report will be sent to the Centre.
“The government—we have already asked the concerned district administration to find out the truth and then let that report comes and even that report will be sent to the government of India,” Tynsong stated, breaking his silence following serious concerns raised in the Lok Sabha.
The issue surfaced on Wednesday during Zero Hour when Voice of the People Party (VPP) MP Ricky AJ Syngkon raised the alarm over the missing coal from two secured depots. Union Minister for Coal, G. Kishan Reddy, said the Centre will seek a clarification from the Meghalaya government regarding the sudden disappearance of 4,000 metric tonnes (MT) of illegally mined coal from two coal depots in the state.
Tynsong, reiterating the state’s commitment to uphold the law, said, “I have not nothing to say, or hide and seek, the Supreme Court or whoever agency, we welcome. I used to tell that about this issue of coal mining—illegal coal mining, illegal trading, illegal movement of coal and all. Time and again I used to say, if there is any such illegality, any such illegal movement, any such illegal mining, the law is there.”
He further revealed that instructions have already been issued to all Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, and line departments to intensify vigilance. “So instruction has been given to all the district administration, to all the SPs, to all the different department in the government to look into it and also to make sure that illegality does not happen,” Tynsong added.
Addressing speculation that heavy rainfall may have caused the disappearance, Tynsong remarked, “We will send the reply, we will send the statement because the statement made by the honourable Minister he said that due to heavy rain, then it seems coal has been washing. I will not say anything on that.”
He concluded by reaffirming the state’s proactive role: “So now we have already asked the concerned district administration to find out the truth and then let that report comes and even that report will be sent to the government of India.”
