SHILLONG, SEPT 11: The union government has constituted a committee to work out an amicable solution into the issue of coal mining in Meghalaya that was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) since April.
The NGT banned rat-hole coal mining in the state that has been opposed by the stakeholders who directly and indirectly depends on coal for livelihood.
The committee was constituted by the Prime Minister’s office following a request made by the Meghalaya government for immediate intervention of the union government into the ban impose by the NGT on rat-hole coal mining in the state.
Meghalaya chief secretary PBO Warjri and state law secretary have also been appointed as members of the committee headed by the cabinet secretary. The six member committee also has the union home secretary, secretary of Ministry of Coal and secretary of Ministry of Mines as its members.
“The Cabinet Secretary will hold the first sitting of the committee of secretaries at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on September 15,” a government communiqué said on Thursday.
Meghalaya chief secretary also held a meeting with all the concerned officers on Thursday his chamber. He shall be attending the meeting accompanied by senior officers of the state government.
Meanwhile, the state government said it has been trying to facilitate a systemic, scientific and planned utilization of mineral resources and accordingly the government had notified the Meghalaya Mines and Minerals Policy, 2012.
The NGT had recently put on hold all coal mining activities pending operationalising of a scheme to meet statutory requirement for environment protection and safety.
Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma has also directed the state law secretary to engage renowned constitutional lawyer to advice the state government on how to deal with the coal ban imposed by the NGT.- By Our Reporter
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