The Meghalaya High Court has ordered the Union Home Ministry to send 10 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) to the northeastern state to monitor the transit of coal that has been illegally mined.
This was said by a high court panel led by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee on Wednesday during a PIL hearing.
“The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Home Secretary, is directed to ensure the deployment of 10 companies of appropriate Central Armed Police Force to be commanded independently or jointly by officers from the local police that may be selected by the Court, strictly for the purpose of keeping a vigil on the roads and arresting the illegal transportation of illegally mined coal in the state,” according to the court.
Additionally, it instructed the secretary to make the Union Home Ministry’s statement accessible when the issue comes up again.
This came about after the Central Industrial Security Force declined to accept the assignment of deploying 10 companies to stop the illegal transportation of coal in the state, primarily because the work does not fall under the normal activities carried out by the CISF. This information was provided by the Deputy Solicitor General of India, Dr Mozika.
The Central Reserve Police Force is directly under the supervision of the state police, according to the court, thus it did not specifically request the deployment of the CISF but rather that a more independent force be used to monitor for criminal activity.
“The real intention of this court was for the local police not to be associated in the process since it had been ineffective in such regard, the CISF may be the appropriate force,” read the order.
The high court further indicated that the relevant force would be obliged by an order of the court despite the CISF’s apparent reluctance.
SUBMITTED BY NEHA A. PARDESHI ON 13th APRIL, 2023
