Three-Member Commission to Fix Accountability in East Jaintia Hills Explosion, Submit Report Within Six MonthsShillong: The Meghalaya government has appointed retired High Court judge Justice RS Chauhan as the head of a three-member judicial commission to investigate the February 5 explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district that claimed 31 lives.
According to a notification dated February 14, the panel has been constituted under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. The commission has been tasked with conducting a detailed probe into the blast at the illegal mine located in the remote Thangsku area of Mynsngat village.
Justice Chauhan, who previously served as Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court and the Telangana High Court, will lead the inquiry. The other members of the panel include retired IPS officer H Nongpluh and former IAS officer PS Dkhar.
Mandate to Fix Responsibility and Review Legal Framework
The commission will undertake a comprehensive fact-finding exercise to determine the circumstances leading to the explosion and identify any acts of omission or commission by authorities. It will also examine whether administrative lapses contributed to the tragedy.
As per the notification, the panel will assess possible constitutional exemptions to central mining laws and review the broader regulatory framework governing coal mining in Meghalaya.
“The Commission may submit its report embodying the findings and its recommendations thereon to the State Government within a period of six months from the date of the notification,” the order stated.
Focus on Illegal Mining and Labour Conditions
Beyond fixing accountability, the panel has been mandated to study the root causes of illegal coal mining in the state and evaluate the working conditions of labourers dependent on the sector.
The commission will also recommend remedial measures, administrative reforms, and financial rehabilitation schemes for individuals affected by the 2014 coal mining ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had announced the judicial inquiry on February 9 following mounting public concern over the scale of the disaster.
In a related administrative reshuffle, East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar has been transferred and appointed head of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force. ANTF chief PK Rasgania will take charge as the new SP of East Jaintia Hills.
