An audit scrutiny under the Revenue & Disaster Management Department Meghalaya has revealed that ex-gratia payments amounting to ₹1.07 crore were made from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to victims involved in illegal coal mining activities, in clear violation of prescribed guidelines.
As per SDRF norms, ex-gratia assistance of ₹4 lakh per deceased person is admissible only in cases arising from notified natural calamities and includes those involved in relief or preparedness activities, subject to certification of cause of death. However, the National Green Tribunal had banned coal mining in Meghalaya through an order dated April 17, 2014.
Test checks of records of the Commissioner & Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management Department showed that in July 2019, ex-gratia payments were made to 14 persons who died and five injured during illegal coal mining at Mengkulgittim in Rongsa Awe village under South Garo Hills, amounting to ₹16.50 lakh. Additionally, ₹90 lakh was paid as ex-gratia to families of 18 persons who died at Ksan coal mines at the rate of ₹5 lakh per deceased.
The audit noted that relief was extended to a total of 37 individuals involved in illegal mining activities, which directly contradicted SDRF guidelines. When queried in November 2022, the department stated that the incidents occurred due to flooding caused by excessive rainfall and said the matter would be placed before the State Executive Committee (SEC) for regularisation.
However, the audit rejected this justification, stating that accidents inside coal mines do not fall under notified natural calamities and that the SEC has no mandate to regularise expenditure incurred for activities declared illegal by the NGT. The audit concluded that the ₹1.07 crore ex-gratia payment was made in violation of SDRF norms.
