JOWAI: The West Jaintia Hills district administration has imposed a ban on rat hole mining and transport of coal from the district following the order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in this regard.
In the order issued under Section 144 CrPC on Tuesday, the West Jaintia Hills District Magistrate PS Dkhar said that illegal mining of coal in the entire district and in the civil sub-division should be stopped. “It shall also apply to any illegal transport of coal which shall likewise be stopped,” the order of district magistrate said.
Dkhar said that prima facie “there have been activities of illegal mining in some pockets of the district and such illegal mining has been viewed seriously by the Green Tribunal”.
After the April 17 order of the Green Tribunal, a meeting was convened on April 28 with the representatives from police, mining and geology, transport and labour departments pertaining to the activities of rat hole mining in the district, Dkhar said.
Later, a decision was taken to identify the coal mining areas and an administrative order was also issued to survey and identify areas covering Shangpung and adjoining areas and Shkentalang falling under Amlarem civil sub division by the magistrates and officials from the concerned departments.
Moreover, the Principal Secretary in-charge mining and geology Y. Tsering sent an advisory on May 9 to the district magistrate to comply with the order of the Green Tribunal.
According to the magistrate, illegal mining should be stopped and “any illegal transport of coal shall not take place until further orders from the Tribunal”.
