NGT to hear coal forum plea today

SHILLONG: The State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers Forum has opposed the government move to allow MMDC to mine coal in the state.
In a statement issued here, Sonny L Khyriem, the chairman of the forum, said the NGT will take up a petition by the forum against such a move on Wednesday. The forum expressed resentment at the state government’s claim that most coal miners in the state have allowed MMDC to extract coal from their mines.
There were media reports that the government had notified MMDC to be the nodal agency to mine coal.
“Such news has confused coal miners across the state as many do not subscribe to the interference of MMDC into their private lands,” the statement said. “Comments and public discussions in this regard would be inappropriate as the matter is sub-judice,” it added.
The MMDC issue, including those of the mining guidelines, mining policy among others, will be heard at the NGT Court in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The forum as an impleading party had also moved an application before the Supreme Court in New Delhi in July this year to allow transportation of the already extracted coal and the matter will be heard on November 10.