SC postpones hearing on Meghalaya coal mining ban

Guwahati, November 13, 2018:

The Supreme Court postponed the hearing of the petitions against the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya imposed by NGT and the state government for the first time challenged the ban imposed by the Tribunal till December 4.

The state government counsel Ranjan Mukherjee took up the issue of transportation of extracted coal. Mukherjee has pleaded for the extension of transportation of previously extracted coal till May 31 next  year.

The amount of extracted coal until the transportation was stooped as on May 31 was 1,76,655 metric tonne.

During the hearing on Monday, a request was made that the appeal of the state government should be heard first which was accepted by the Supreme Court.

The bench comprised Justice A.K Sikri and Justice R. Subhash Reddy along with State Advocate General Amit Kumar.

The order of the NGT was challenged by Dimasa bodies, State Coordination Committee of Coal Owners’ Miners’ and Dealers’ Forum and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.

The Apex Court issued notice to various parties including the Centre on the appeals of the state government and justification on whose application, NGT passed the ban order.