Govt welcomes HC’s decision to set up coal panel 

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 20, 2022

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Meghalaya High Court to set up a committee to be headed by a retired judge for looking into the coal issue in the state.

“We (government) are happy with the institution of the committee headed by a retired judge. It is good because people nowadays are blaming the MDA government (with regards to the issue of illegal coal mining and transportation),” Tynsong told reporters.

“…with this decision taken by the High Court people will understand that the MDA government is doing the right thing. If it is not, this committee is there so action will be taken,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Meghalaya High Court had appointed retired Justice BP Katakey to head a committee for recommending the measures to be taken by the state in compliance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT), including the sale of already extracted coal.

While hearing a PIL on the matter, the court had said, “Justice Katakey is appointed for the purpose of ascertaining the extent to which the directions issued by the Supreme Court and the NGT have been complied with.”

“Justice Katakey will also recommend the measures to be immediately taken to comply with the outstanding directions, including the sale of coal now available, under the aegis of Coal India Limited,” it had also added.

Katakey, a former Judge of the Gauhati High Court, had headed an NGT-constituted committee to look into the coal issue in Meghalaya.

When asked that Katakey had in 2020 resigned as chairman of the NGT committee after failing to get the cooperation of the state government, Tynsong said, “That you please ask from him, how you can ask from me that because I am not aware at all about that.”

The deputy chief minister however said, “If the High Court wanted more transparency, we welcome that. It is good I am telling you I am really satisfied and the government welcomes the decision taken by the court.”

Stating that he is not aware about the alleged illegal transportation of coal through Ri Bhoi, Tynsong reiterated that the district administration including DC and SP are on the job 24 x 7.

“So those people who found out such irregularities in movement of trucks or coal or whatever I think police stations also we have so why not immediately inform the police and the district administration they will take action not necessarily you have to inform me or chief minister, I think in the district itself it can be done as that standing order has been issued to all the district administration be it DC or SP,” he asserted.