SHILLONG | Jul 24, 2015: Over Rs 300 crore worth extracted coal is still lying to be transported from the coal mining areas after the transportation of extracted coal was stopped by NGT on June 30.

The Supreme Court lawyer and Counsel for Meghalaya Government Ranjan Mukherjee said over phone from Delhi on Thursday that the next hearing on the petitions for resumption of transportation of extracted coal and payment of royalty will be held on July 31.

Mukherjee said that as per the assessment, 54 lakh metric tons of coal ( 5. 4 million tons) are yet to be transported as they have been still lying in the mining sites, the value of which will be over Rs 300 crore. He said the State Government had already collected Rs 240 crore as royalty and Rs 220 crore for eco- restoration fund after the ban on rat hole mining since April 17 last year.

Mukherjee further said that during the next hearing on July 31, besides seeking extension to transport extracted coal and payment of royalty, the second status report on mining plan, the application to setup 12 additional weighbridges on behalf of transport department, and status on the violation of NGT ban in East Jaintia Hills among others will be filed before NGT.

(Source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com/)