SHILLONG/TURA: The State Coordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners, Exporters, Transporters & Dealers Forum has opposed the decision of the state government to import coal from Assam to be used by the cement companies in East Jaintia Hills.
The concern of the forum is that Assam is a COVID-19 hotspot.
In a letter to the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the forum urged the government to put on hold the order to allow coal-laden trucks to cater to the requirements of the cement companies.
The forum wanted the government to auction the 32 lakh metric tonnes of extracted coal as claimed by the state in the affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in June last year.
“Out of the 32 lakh metric tonnes, the NGT had permitted 2 lakh metric tonnes in March this year for transportation and the government should utilise the extracted coal instead of importing coal from outside the state”, the forum said.
The forum also supported the leaders of NGOs who had opposed the import of coal from outside the state.
Coal truck movement
Opposition to the movement of stranded coal trucks in North Garo Hills continues despite the fact that a clarification in this regard was given by the deputy commissioner on Tuesday.
Even as the District Youth Congress from North Garo Hills had accused the state government of allowing the transportation of coal along NH-62 in the district, Deputy Commissioner SC Sadhu had on the same day clarified that only one time movement of the stranded trucks is being allowed to clear the highways from congestion after permission was given by the High Court.
According to Sadhu, the order permitting the movement of the trucks was given by the HC on May 6 following which the decision to allow the same was taken. Sadhu reiterated that the administration was not allowing permanent coal transport and that all steps were being taken to ensure that the coronavirus does not spread to the district.
However, despite the clarification by Sadhu, another organisation from the district — the Resubelpara unit of the GSU on Wednesday raised concern over the decision to allow the movement of stranded coal trucks.
In its representation to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the union, while acknowledging the HC order, urged the government not to allow the movement of trucks for the time being as the route to be taken by the trucks connects to COVID-19 orange and red zones in Assam.
The union asked the government to reconsider the decision and to put on hold the movement of the stranded trucks until normalcy is restored.
