Meghalaya appeals for extension of deadline for payment of royalty on coal till March 31
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Government has moved the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal with a prayer to allow transportation of extracted and assessed coal till May 31.
The Government also appealed the NGT to allow payment of royalty on extracted coal till March 31.
The deadline fixed by the Tribunal for payment of royalty and transportation of extracted and assessed coal expired on Wednesday.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Ranjan Mukherjee, Counsel of the Meghalaya Government, informed that the NGT will take up the matter for hearing on Thursday next. The NGT’s Principal Bench would pass the final order on February 26.
The NGT had in October last year asked coal miners and transporters to pay Rs.400 crore royalty to the State government within 45 days as per Mines Development and Regulation Act, 1957, before transporting 6.3 million tonnes of extracted coal lying in depots across the State.
The Mineral Resources department had collected royalty of over Rs 77 crore for the coal assessed by an expert committee appointed by the NGT till date.
Over 9.76 million MT of extracted coal have also been transported out of the 11,02,950 MT coal allowed for transportation.