Date | Aug 02, 2017:

The State Coordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers Forum today lambasted the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government for delaying the process of laying down mining rules and environment-friendly policies.

In a statement issued here, the forum said the National Green Tribunal, after banning coal mining in 2014, had asked the Government to put in place mining regulations for resuming work.

"Three years have passed and the State Government is yet to come out with a proper policy suitable not just to the stakeholders but also to preserve the environment," they said. From April 17, 2014, coal mining in Meghalaya was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), following a petition filed by the All Dimasa Students' Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee from Assam on the ground that coal mining in Meghalaya was carried out in a most illegal and unscientific manner. The NGT had asked the Meghalaya Government to file its comprehensive application before August 10 with regards to how mining can be started in the State. "Every time the matter is listed before the NGT, the State Government blatantly buys time stating one reason or the other and the same trend followed even on the last date of hearing on July 27," the Forum said. They also said that the State's dilly-dally prompted the tribunal to direct the government to file composite affidavit within 10 days so as to ascertain how the government would handle coal mining issue in case fresh mining is further allowed.

"The Government is either incapable or have no will power to address the issue of coal mining in the State," it stated.

(Source: https://news.webindia123.com/)