Coal news and updates

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) which has imposed blanket ban on coal mining in Meghalaya has asked the state government to finalise a coal mining plan in coordination with the government of India. 

 

This may come as the first major attempt to regulate the unregulated coal mining in coal rich Meghalaya. 

 

The tribunal in its recent order has observed, "We further direct the chief secretary and secretary, mining &Geology of the state of Meghalaya to take up the matter with Secretary, Union Ministry of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and secretary Coal Government of India and finalise the coal mining plan in the state at the earliest, the law which ought to have complied with before carrying on the mining activity and the manner in which the mining activity, if at all could be permitted in the state of Meghalaya." 

 

On April 17 last, NGT banned coal mining following complaint brought by the All Dimasa Students' Union (Adsu) and the Dima Hasao district committee. Coal miners pleaded before the Tribunal for review. 

 

The tribunal has permitted however transportation of already extracted coal lying in open nearing the mining sites. 

 

Several teams of the Special Committee constituted as per the order NGT visited East and West Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts for inspection of all the coal depots and assessment of the quantity of coal lying in the open in the respective district. 

 

 

Source: ET