Addl CS Y Tsering to follow up on mining issues
SHILLONG: Additional Chief Secretary in charge Mining and Geology, Y. Tsering, has been deputed to follow up the pending issues related to coal mining with the Centre.
Chief Secretary K.S Kropha said on Thursday that the official is camping in Delhi to take up issues related to mining plan and guidelines with the central ministries concerned.
While the Ministry of Environment and Forest has already submitted the ecological restoration plan related to coal mining to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the State government has given the mining guidelines to NGT and the ministries of coal and mines. However, the final reports of these ministries are yet to be submitted to NGT.
But the hurdles for the government is to get exemption from the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, even after NGT gives clearance to mining in the State.
As per the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, the ownership in relation to the coal mines will vest with the Centre. The State government had already moved the Centre to invoke Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule through a presidential notification to exempt the State from the purview of the central law.
Another area of concern is amendments to certain clauses of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
According to the Chief Secretary, the Centre will be urged to relax the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, to allow the State government to frame mining guidelines since the miners need not go to Delhi to get permission for mining.