SHILLONG: Lber Laloo, who is pursuing the coal related case in the Supreme Court, has petitioned the Ministry of Coal for finalising the road map for resumption of coal mining.
In a letter addressed to the secretary, Union Ministry of Coal, Laloo said during the pendency of the civil appeal, it has emerged from the records that the state government had sent proposals seeking exemption/modification from the application of the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957.
Subsequently, several meetings have been convened between the officials of the state government and also with coal ministry officials.
Last year, the central government had assured the Supreme Court to finalise a decision within a period of three months.
However, no such decision has been taken.
According to Laloo, the record further reveals that the coal ministry on August 10 .2015 in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, had given its consent for making MMDR Act, 1957 inapplicable in Meghalaya for coal and lignite.
Laloo said in view of the communication, the notification under Paragraph 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule ought to have been issued, however, the same has not been done.
The state government has undertaken to apply all central legislations and egulations, including rules in relation to mine-safety and environment and that to limited extent exemption/modification from MMDR Act, 1957 has been sought, for which consent of the coal ministry has already been conveyed.
Laloo said there will not be any impediment in issuing a notification under Paragraph 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule and permitting coal mining in a regulated and scientific manner.
The supreme court on February 19 had directed the Centre to take a final decision in this regard.
Reference has also been made to the letter of August 10, 2015 sent by the coal ministry to the home ministry.
Accordingly, it was requested that the procedure for taking final decision be expedited, so that mining can resume, he said.
According to Laloo, the persons, who depend on coal mining as a source of livelihood have been suffering on account of the policy logjam which has resulted in ban on all mining activities.
He urged the coal ministry to look into the matter as priority and take a final decision as directed by the Apex Court, within a period of one month.
