SHILLONG: A list of over 2,000 seized trucks, which carried coal illegally, was submitted by the state government during the meeting of the NGT-appointed judicial panel held here on Friday.
The commission also decided to frame a draft action plan for restoration of environment.
The chairman of the NGT committee, Justice BP Katoki, a former judge of the Gauhati High Court, said after the meeting that the action plan will be carried out in phases.
He said during the meeting, the government provided the list of 2,000 seized coal-laden trucks for violating NGT ban.
During the last meeting, the commission had asked the state government to provide details of the trucks.
“As far as the issue of mining is concerned, the reports from deputy commissioners had mentioned that there were no mining activities except that there are some activities in East Jaintia Hills,” he said.
The retired judge said the cement plants have agreed to provide funds for treatment of water in the streams and rivers, which are highly acidic.
The chairman of NGT panel had also asked for the list of victims affected by coal mining but the state government had only provided information about those who were indirectly affected, especially the shop owners and others.
Hence the panel asked the state government to provide the names of the persons who were killed or injured while carrying out mining activities.
The chairman said compensation can be provided to the families of these victims as there is fund of over Rs 400 crore at the disposal of the government.
The next step of the panel will be to create awareness on the ill effects of illegal coal mining.
The panel also observed that dumping of coal in the open causes pollution affecting the environment and this has to be stopped.
The panel will submit its interim report within this month. The officials of the central and state pollution control boards, among others, attended the meeting.
The mandate of the NGT appointed committee is to deal with restoration of the environment and rehabilitation of victims for which funds are available.
The committee will also supervise any issue arising out of custodianship of the already extracted coal, including any environmental issues which may arise out of storage of the extracted material by the government.
