Justice RS Chauhan to head 6-month probe into Meghalaya's EKH coal mine blast

Shillong, Feb 15: Retired high court judge, Justice RS Chauhan, was appointed the head of the three-member judicial panel that will probe the February 5 blast at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, in which 31 people were killed. 

The panel has been tasked with fixing accountability and examining possible constitutional exemptions to central mining laws, said the notification dated February 14.

Retired IPS officer H Nongpluh and former IAS officer PS Dkhar are the other members of the panel, set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952, it said.

Justice Chauhan was the chief justice of the Uttarakhand High Court and the Telangana High Court.

The commission will conduct a comprehensive fact-finding exercise into the explosion at the illegal mine in the remote Thangsku area of Mynsngat village, according to the notification.

"The Commission may submit its report embodying the findings and its recommendations thereon to the State Government within a period of 6 (six) months from the date of the notification," it said.

The commission has been mandated to identify acts or omissions by authorities and examine whether lapses contributed to the disaster.

Beyond fixing responsibility, the panel will examine the root causes of illegal coal mining in Meghalaya and review the working conditions of labourers dependent on the industry, the notification said.

It will also recommend remedial measures, administrative reforms and financial rehabilitation schemes for those affected by the National Green Tribunal's 2014 ban on coal mining.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had on February 9 announced the judicial inquiry into the blast.

Meanwhile, the government transferred East Jaintia Hills SP Vikash Kumar and posted him as the head of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force, according to another notification.

ANTF chief PK Rasgania will be the new SP of East Jaintia Hills.

Meanwhile, on Saturday Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang has ordered a parallel special investigation team (SIT) probe into the incident after the State Government announced constitution of a judicial inquiry commission.

PTI