Coalition partner wants halt to coal transport
SHILLONG: The UDP has asked Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to strip of the Home portfolio from cabinet minister James Sangma due to the illegal transportation of coal.
A UDP leader said on Tuesday that a meeting was held on January 13 between UDP president and Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh and chief minister Conrad Sangma and deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong on the need to stop the illegal transportation of coal as this has damaged the image of the NPP-led MDA coalition giving rise to public criticism and adverse comments from the opposition Congress.
The UDP wanted the chief minister to take away the Home portfolio from James if the latter cannot control the illegal transportation of coal.
UDP sources said that following the stand of the party, the files related to important matters under the Home department, are now dealt by the chief minister himself and not James, who is currently out of station.
The meeting between the UDP and NPP leaders was held to discuss the matter after the Meghalaya Lokayukta on January 9 had asked the government to transfer many officials, including the special assistant to James, to facilitate a fair CBI probe into the coal racket.
The NGT principal bench and green panel appointed committee headed by BP Katakey had also expressed unhappiness over the state government not taking action against illegal transportation of coal.
Besides asking the government to probe illegal transportation of coal, the NGT panel in the sixth and last interim report had asked the DGP to ensure that all the persons, vehicles, equipment, tools and machineries involved in transportation of about 80,000 MT of coal seized by the police are identified and necessary action as per the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and all other relevant statutes and the rules framed under the Act, is taken against all such persons and vehicles, equipment, tools and machineries.
The Katakey-led panel wanted similar actions to taken for the coal, if any, to be seized in future and sought monthly report on all the cases where the persons, vehicles, equipment, tools and machineries involved in transportation of the seized coal could not be identified.