SHILLONG/NONGPOH: The State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers’ Forum has urged the State Government to sincerely act on newspaper reports about illegal mining and to let the law take its own course of action on those found violating the direction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The chairman of the committee, Sonny Khyriem, said the Forum has indeed from time to time reminds its members all over the State that th NGT orders should be valued in letter and spirit.
To the contention that the acid mine drainage from coal has polluted rivers, he said such phenomenon is not without a remedy.
“The solution is perhaps, as we believed and had proposed to NGT, the environment-friendly method of coal mining and treatment of mine waste would ensure that the environment is protected and the coal mining survive, thereby they will co-exist,” he said and added that the next hearing where the Forum will participate will be held on January 31, at the NGT Principal Bench, New Delhi.
The Forum has also called upon all the members to inform the State Government about illegal mining and to wait patiently for a concrete way out as and when directed by NGT.
Illegal coal-laden trucks
A body of Ri Bhoi residents has expressed concern over illegal coal-laden trucks. As per the NGT guidelines, a truck cannot carry more than 9 MT of coal. The confederation of locals, led by its president Bandari Ryntathiang, went on a spot inspection and found overloaded trucks parked on Nongpoh-Byrnihat Road.”The inspection was conducted based on several complaints received by the organisation that most of the trucks are overloaded and that they are released blindly at the Integrated Check Gate at 13th Mile under Byrnihat Police Station without unloading the extra coal,” said Ryntathiang.
The organisation has also submitted a letter to the Commissioner Secretary of Transport and the Deputy Commissioner of Ri Bhoi District urging them to intervene in the matter, but to their surprise the number of these overloaded coal-laden trucks has increased as no action has been taken in this regard, Ryntathiang added.
