SHILLONG: The state government will bring another resolution in the Assembly requesting the Centre to lift the ban on coal mining imposed by the National Green Tribunal in 2014.
Cabinet Minister Prestone Tynsong, who replied in the Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on the coal mining issue, suggested passing another official resolution to seek central help.
In his reply to a question on coal mining by SK Sunn, Tynsong said there was a need to find a solution as environment and safety issues are to be taken into account as per central rules.
“In 2016, this issue was brought in the form of an official resolution when the House unanimously adopted to request the Government of India to kindly invoke Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution,” he said.
A delegation led by the leader of the house was supposed to meet the Prime Minister and the President after the passage of the resolution but “unfortunately, that had not happened”, the minister said.
“Both sides (of the House) will also be jointly responsible and knock on the door of central government to lift the ban,” he said and drew the attention of the House on passing another official resolution.
Asked on the stand of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Tynsong said there was a committee headed by the Secretary of Environment Forests and Climate Change, Chief Secretary and other senior officers were part of it.
Some of the recommendations include compliance with the central mining act.