Govt is facilitating illegal trade: Mukul
SHILLONG: The NGT appointed committee headed by retired high court judge BP Katoki held a meeting with the state government officials and concerned departments on Monday and discussed about scientific coal mining.
During the meeting, the Indian Bureau of Mines gave a presentation on scientific coal mining.
The officials brought to the notice of the NGT panel that there was a proposal in the past to engage Meghalaya Mineral Development Corporation (MMDC) for carrying out scientific coal mining.
Katoki asked the managing director of the corporation to give a presentation on the matter.
Earlier in 2017, the government had decided to engage MMDC to help the miners to carry out coal mining.
However, there was protest from the miners against such a move as they cited that it will destroy the land holding and land tenure system.
During a press conference on Monday, former chief minister Mukul Sangma stressed the need for a political will to address the issue of ban on coal mining.
“There is a provision for legal mining but the NPP politicised that Mukul Sangma wants MMDC to capture the mines”, he said.
The Leader of Opposition has once again made a veiled attack on the NPP-led MDA government over the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state despite the ban on coal mining by the NGT.
Mukul alleged that there was blatant interference by the people in power in terms of revenue realisation and something is going on in the state where the revenue is being looted.
He pointed out even manipulation is going on in some institutions in the state which he termed as dangerous trend. “When institutions like Legal Metrology are tampered with, there will be serious ramifications over governance,” he said while making it clear that the Opposition will expose the government and nobody will go scot-free.
He said the transport department has Commissioners because the task of these departments is to enforce laws.
He cited that a coal laden truck overturned in Ri Bhoi and miners were trapped at Ksan.
“These are episodes of illegal coal mining in the state. Something is happening with the patronage and once the patronage is dislocated, the officers are transferred”, he said.
“Do they think they will go scot-free? No they will not,” Sangma said even as he maintained that the government is allowing coal transportation.
Sangma said the Supreme Court gave relief and allowed transportation of the remaining consignment but the government is allowing transportation of illegal coal.
Accusing the government of facilitating illegal mining and illegal transportation of coal at the cost of the people and the state, he said the NGT imposed fine on the state government since it was found facilitating illegal mining.