SHILLONG, MAY 22: MIPRL sought immediate intervention of state Governor V Shanmuganathan for de-notifying the National Green Tribunal (NGT) from Meghalaya and also on pending bills (village administration). A delegation of the Movement of Indigenous People’s Rights and Livelihood (MIPRL) on Friday handed over the memorandum highlighting the various issues confronting the state to the Governor during its meeting on Friday.
“We request your intervention to obtain the Government of India notification to remove the jurisdiction of the NGT from Meghalaya as the ban on coal and sand mining has had serious implication on the economy of the state,” MIPRL chairman Herald Son Dkhar said in the letter.
Dkhar said that the unilateral ban has severely and adversely affected lakhs of people of the state who earn their livelihood from the coal mining sector and the sand mining sector.
While the ban on sand mining was from October 2013, the NGT imposed ban on coal mining in Meghalaya is from April 17, last year.
“Apart from this, the revenue generation of Government of Meghalaya has been severely curtailed which is a serious situation for a revenue poor state like Meghalaya, resulting in a loss of Rs 600 crore in revenues to the government,” Dkhar said.
According to him, Para 12 A (b) provides that no law of Parliament shall be applied to the state of Meghalaya except with such modifications or exemptions as may be deemed necessary to protect and preserve our unique tribal systems, customs and traditions.
Quoting the order of the NGT on March 25, this year which states-‘that it is not impressed by the state government’s decision to seek exemption under Para 12 A (B)’, Dkhar said, “These are dangerous trends which are giving birth to a serious sense of alienation and discrimination which may have serious consequences.”
While appreciating the NGT’s concern about the environment, Dkhar said there is no basis for the assumptions made by the NGT about the extent of environmental and health degradation adding “Using Mr Modi’s the Prime Minister analogy, these observations by the NGT are “perception driven” and not based on whole facts but half truths.”
Further, the MIPRL also apprised the Governor of the current situation arising out of the delay in approving the village administration bills of both KHADC and JHADC.
“We urged you to immediately intervene since this has created huge resentment and public agitation in the state of Meghalaya,” he said.
The MIPRL chairman also sought the attention of the governor stating, “The situation in the state is very volatile after the Meghalaya High Court order of December 10, last year prohibiting the traditional headmen from performing their duties.”
Highlighting on other issues, the MIPRL has also urged the Governor to intervene into the failure of the state government to make public the magisterial enquiry into the September 24, 2014 Mookhep firing incident killing two civilians and injured seven.
“The government of Meghalaya has without proper justification rejected the said inquiry and ordered a new one,” the MIPRL said while urging the governor to ensure that more compensation be given to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured apart from ensuring that they are given employment by the government.- By Our Reporter
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