SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will file an appeal in the Supreme Court next week against the final order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 31.
Latiplang Kharkongor, the Executive Member in charge of Mines and Minerals Department in the KHADC, expressed concern about the rights of tribal people who have been deeply affected by the order passed by the NGT.
In a statement issued here, he said, “I expect the state government and other autonomous district councils to challenge the same in the interest of people residing within their jurisdiction.”
He added that the rights and ownership of land both surface and below soil are with the people in the scheduled areas and hence minerals and other sub-soil natural wealth belong to the people.
Kharkongor said the KHADC challenges the order with an aim to restore the right of the indigenous people.
The KHADC is also supporting the case filed by Lber Laloo challenging the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya. “Intervening application in the case will be filed before the Supreme Court by next week. Separate special leave petition will be filed challenging the judgment and order passed by the NGT on August 31, 2018,” he said.
The part of the order that declared the state to be the custodian with right over the already extracted coal will also be challenged.
While disposing of the case related to the ban on rat-hole coal mining, the August 31 order of the NGT said the ban would continue subject to further orders of the Supreme Court.
The order also said the state government will be the receiver or custodian of the available extracted coal as on date, subject to further order of the Supreme Court.
“Ban on transportation of the already mined material will also continue subject to further orders of the Supreme Court,” the NGT had noted.
