State wants speedy transportation
SHILLONG: The NGT principal bench will hear the plea of the state government to allow auction and transportation of the already extracted coal on January 9.
Earlier on December 10, the matter was listed but due to the lack of quorum of NGT, it was postponed to Tuesday.
An official said the matter was not taken up even on Tuesday and now the NGT will hear the plea on January 9.
The state government is knocking on the door of NGT since the Tribunal appointed panel chief by BP Katakey quit the post on December 2 citing personal reasons.
However, sources said that Katakey was annoyed as the government did not provide details of the coal stock.
But the state government denied withholding of any information from Katakey.
The stand of the state government was that as per the affidavit submitted before the apex court, the government had already given details of 32 lakh metric tonnes of coal to be auctioned and transported.
After the Katakey committee asked for details of the coal stock, the government later provided the details to the Coal India Ltd which is part of the committee.
According to a government official, since the details are already there in the affidavit filed before the court, the government wanted expeditious disposal of the already extracted coal.
The last meeting of the Katakey committee was held on December 2 in Shillong.
The state government moved the NGT principal bench so that transportation and auction of already extracted coal can be initiated at the earliest.
The government said that after the formulation of the coal auction policy, the document was given to the Katakey committee which had sought further improvement in the policy. The government had also sent the policy to Coal India Ltd for approval.
However, the nod of the NGT is required to further proceed with the matter since Katakey, who is the chairman of the committee, had tendered his resignation.
The plan of the government is to auction the coal with the support of Coal India Ltd.
Sources said the plea of the government before NGT will be to appoint either a new chairman of the committee or allow the members to take decision on the auction of coal. Officials of Central Pollution Control Board and Coal India Limited are members of the panel.
If the NGT allows transportation of 32 lakh metric tonnes of coal, the government will earn revenue of Rs 215 crore and the share of the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund will be Rs 155 crore.
The apex court had on July 3 asked Coal India Ltd to auction the extracted coal under the supervision of the Katakey committee.
The court had said that the state government after the assessment of the coal lying in four districts, including the details of the quantities and the owners, may ensure that entire coal is handed over to the Coal India Ltd as per the mode and manner to be formulated by Katakey committee in consultation with officers of the Coal India Ltd and Meghalaya government.
According to the court, the state government and its officers, especially deputy commissioners of the districts concerned, should enter details of quantity of the coal, name of the owner and place from where it is collected.
The court also asked all concerned to take steps to ensure weighment of coal when it is received by Coal India Ltd.