New Delhi | Jul 09, 2015: The National Green Tribunal court on Wednesday deferred till July 23 the hearing on the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya since the State Government counsel had sought more time for submission of certain facts.
Wednesday’s hearing was on further extension of time for transportation of extracted coal and payment of royalty to the government.
The coal miners and owners were to make a similar appeal before the NGT as the extracted coal is yet to be fully transported. June 30 was the deadline for transportation of extracted coal.
A status report on the present situation following the ban on coal mining was to be presented before NGT during the hearing on Wednesday which will now be done on July 23.
Besides, the report of action taken against violations of NGT ban on coal mining prepared by the respective deputy commissioners will be submitted before the Tribunal on that day.
The NGT will also be informed about the measures being initiated by the Meghalaya Government for the mining plan as the officials of Central Mine Planning and Design Institute, Coal India Limited and Director General of Mine Safety based in Guwahati had already visited the State on June 17 and 18.
The team, besides meeting State Government officials, had also visited several coal mines in Jaintia Hills to prepare guidelines for coal mining in the State.
The assistance of the Central establishment was sought since the State Government did not have expertise for carrying out coal mining in a scientific way.
Pending mining plan and adoption of proper scientific mining methods, the NGT is unlikely to review the ban on coal mining in the State during the July 23 hearing.
It was on April 17 last year that the NGT in an interim order had banned rat hole mining of coal in Meghalaya.
Fourteen months after the ban, the Tribunal is insisting only on transportation of the already extracted coal after payment of requisite royalty.
(Source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com/)