Guwahati, April 27 -- In a major revelation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has confirmed that illegal rat-hole mining continues unabated in Meghalaya, despite the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) decade-old ban.

The ED reported that mine operators are extracting approximately 1,200 tonnes of coal every day under hazardous and inhuman conditions.

On Thursday, the Shillong sub-zonal ED team launched coordinated raids at 15 locations across South Garo Hills in Meghalaya and parts of Assam, including Jogighopa, Margherita, and Guwahati.

These raids, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), targeted illegal coal mining and unlicensed coke plants.

Investigators uncovered a widespread network where Meghalaya-based coa...