SHILLONG: The State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners & Dealers Forum has expressed shock over allegations that it was claiming all credit for the recent court order extending the deadline for transportation of extracted coal.
In a press statement issued on Monday, Sonny L Khyriem, chairman of the forum, said the Hima Nongstoin Land Owner, Coal Traders and Producer Association (HNLOCTPA), which has levelled the allegations, was also a party in the same issue during the appeal in the Supreme Court and it was surprising that it would make such claims.
“The forum by no means ever claimed that the relief granted was their sole issue. As an impleading party in the said matter, we simply acknowledged the Apex Court for the let-up and thanked the learned counsels who participated in the last hearing of appeal,” Khyriem said.
Urging the Hima association to abstain from mudslinging, Khyriem said Nalin Kohli, “a renowned Supreme Court lawyer who led the forum’s team of counsels”, was dragged into the confusion for not being present on the day of the hearing.
He said it was done with the intention to malign Kohli and added, “The HNLOCTPA Shillong-based lawyers too were not present during the hearing but we do not wish to add political gimmicks to their abstention.”
