Nongstoin coal body not to take part in Aug 6 bandh
SHILLONG: A virtual rift among the coal mine owners and exporters has surfaced with the Hima Nongstoin Land Owners, Coal Miners and Producers Association (HNLOCN & PA) deciding not to take part in the August 6 ‘dawn-to-dusk’ bandh called by the State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers Forum.
“We would not be taking part in the bandh since we have not been able to call a meeting of all the members,” the Association said in a statement issued here on Monday.
The association said that it had also not received any formal letter from the Forum seeking its support to the August 6 bandh call. “We came to know about the bandh only through the media report,” the Association said.
While taking a different take on the August 1 ruling of the NGT, the Association said that it was happy with the verdict since the transportation of the extracted coal got the green signal.
Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of West and South West Khasi Coal Miners and Exporters has criticised the recent decision of the tribunal to form a new committee to give a complete picture on the amount of extracted coal lying at various mining sites.
While coming down heavily on the State Government for failing to abide by the ruling of the NGT to look into the transportation of coal within two weeks, the JAC president AR Kharbani said that the tribunal’s decision to scrap the previous committee was the result of the failure of the government to complete the task put forth before it by the committee.
While blaming Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for remaining silent on the issue of coal mining, the JAC also urged the government to include public representatives and academicians in the new committee.