Extraction of limestone
SHILLONG: The state government has filed a review petition to vacate the order of the High Court of Meghalaya which banned extraction of limestone and other minerals.
Informing this here on Saturday, an official source said that the matter will come up for hearing on October 14. The first hearing took place in September, the source said.
It was on June 30 that the High Court of Meghalaya passed an order clamping a ban on extraction of limestone and other mining activities in the state.
The High Court wanted the state government to consult the Central Empowered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court before granting license or entering into a lease deed for extraction of minerals.
Besides, the Court said that the state government should draw a comprehensive scheme and create a fund for reclamation in the interest of sustainable development and also for the purpose of rectifying the damage ( caused to forest and environment.
“Except in cases where license for extraction of minerals has already been granted or lease deed has already been entered into in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court in the judgments referred to, all other mining activities shall have to stop and in future.”, the order of the Court had said
The order of Division Bench of Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice T.N.K. Singh was based on a petition on collection of compensatory fee from trucks transporting coal and limestone for reclamation of un-classed forest which falls under the jurisdiction of GHADC.
The state government was compelled to file the review petition after the order of the High Court has hit all the mining activities in the state.
The order comes after the ban on rate hole mining in the state by NGT.