NEW DELHI, Feb 12: Despite widespread reports of irregularities in transportation and auction of extracted and seized coal in Meghalaya, the Centre on Friday asserted that the same was being done in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal.
“The coal which has been seized by the state in illegal mining and illegal transportation has been disposed of by auction in accordance with the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957,’’ Union minister for coal, Pralhad Joshi said.
He was replying to a question from Shillong MP Vincent H Pala in the Lok Sabha.
“The state government is strictly adhering to the directions passed by the NGT and Supreme Court of India for disposal of extracted coal,” the minister said.
“The state government is entitled to royalty on coal and the Union government does not collect any royalty in Meghalaya,” he clarified.
Interestingly, Pala recently wanted to know if the Centre was aware of the auction of seized coal by the state government on its own and sought details, including royalty.
While lifting the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya, the Supreme Court had stated that the entire amount of extracted coal, lying at various places in the state, would be taken over by Coal India Ltd, which would auction the same according to its normal method. The apex court had earlier allowed coal mining operations in the state on private and community-owned land, subject to permissions from the authorities concerned and according to the MMDR Act 1957.
