SHILLONG: The State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners’, Miners’ and Dealers’ Forum (SCCCOM&DF) has questioned the NGT Committee for asking the mine owners to pay the royalty within 14 days on the assessed and declared coal.
“The Committee in its guidelines stipulated that all mine owners shall be given fourteen working days for payment of royalty on the assessed and declared coal,” SCCCOM&DF general secretary M. Kharkongor stated in a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Mukul Sangma recently, while claiming that it was highly impossible for the mine owners to pay the royalty within the specific deadline of 14 days as indicated by the Committee.
“Ever since the ban on mining and transportation of coal from April 17, the coal miners and dealers are going through a huge financial crisis. As a result, it will be impracticable for majority of the coal miners and dealers to make a one-time payment of the royalty on the assessed coal since it is still uncertain whether the extracted coal can be sold to prospective buyer or not,” he said. He requested the Chief Minister to intervene into the matter by allowing the coal miners and dealers to pay the royalty in installments.
“It is practicable for the coal dealers and miners to pay the royalty according to their estimate and expectation to sell the coal during the first month. The remaining royalty of the extracted assessed coal shall be paid on the remaining quantity of the coal in the second and third month respectively,” Kharkongor said.
The Forum has also taken a strong exception to the fact that the names of the miners and coal dealers have not been mentioned in the list compiled by the NGT Committee following the assessment of the extracted coal at the depot or mine site.
“The NGT Committee indicated that in the list there is no coal either in the depot or mine site despite the fact coal is available and lying in the depot or mine site,” he said.
Kharkongor said that they have unanimously resolved that in such cases where the coal has been assessed and is actually available at the depot or mine site, the concerned dealer or owner has been advised to approach the Deputy Commissioners of the respective district for re-verification or correction of the list.
Meanwhile, the Forum also expressed unhappiness on the opinion of the Committee that there are under declaration and over declaration of extracted coal.
While seeking the intervention of the Chief Minister on this matter, Kharkongor stated that the opinion of the Committee was a blemish on the life and conduct of the people of the State.