Meghalaya: SC grants transportation of over 75,000 metric tonnes of coal for 15 days

The Supreme Court has allowed transportation of over 75 thousand metric tons of coal from Meghalaya for 15 days beginning May 17 but asked the State government to ensure that

The Supreme Court has allowed transportation of over 75 thousand metric tons of coal from Meghalaya for 15 days beginning May 17 but asked the State government to ensure that no other coal should be transported or mined.

The court, however, imposed some criteria for transportation of the specified coal. It asked the state government to take “necessary precaution” that no other kind or category of coal is permitted to be transported or mined under the guise of the permission.

It said only those who have transport challans, after the order of the court dated December 4, 2018, should be permitted to transport the coal as noted by Justice (retd) B.P. Katakey Committee.

It asked the state to entrust the duty to ensure compliance of the order to responsible officers of the state government not below the rank of deputy commissioner.

The actual transportation, after due verification and issuing of a verification certificate by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner, will be permitted from May 17 till May 31, after which no transportation will be allowed.

In December 2018, the apex court had initially allowed transportation of coal up to March 31, 2019, on the basis of a submission made by the counsel appearing for the state government that close to 2 lakh metric tons of coal was available for transportation.

However, On January 15, this year the court directed that there would not be any transportation of coal lying at the sites.

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