NGT Instructs Meghalaya to Submit Revised Coal

An expert committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Meghalaya government to submit a second draft policy on November 21 for auctioning and transporting extracted coal lying at various depots in the state.

Chairmanof the committee Justice (retd) BP Kataky said that he was not satisfied withthe first draft policy submitted by the state government.

The Chairman,while replying to a query said, "I am not fully satisfied with the first draftpolicy as there are certain discrepancies that should be removed."

The decisionwas taken at a meeting chaired by Kataky on Thursday. The meeting was attendedby representatives of the state government and the Coal India Limited.

Assertingthat a fool-proof mechanism for transportation of coal was very important, hesaid, unless such a system was in place, there was a likelihood of coal thatwas not put up for auction, getting transported.

Hefurther stated that verbally, the government officials assured him that itwould be fool-proof but he told them that he wants it in writing.

The committee has also sought clarification whether the coal would be exported to other countries or utilized within the country.

Kataky furtherstated that CIL representatives told the committee that the available coalwould not be more than 32 lakh metric tonne and the same will be put up forauction.