No coal mining licences issued by Meghalaya, HC told

No license has been issued for mining of coal in Meghalaya in any form whatsoever, the state government told the High Court last week. Advocate General Amit Kumar said that the state has forwarded to the Centre the applications made by several parties seeking a license to undertake coal mining. The Central government has referred the applications to an expert body. This was revealed during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) on illegal coal mining in the Meghalaya High Court. The State government also informed the Court that it has warned truck owners’ associations that firm action would be taken against the individual truckers and the parent association if there is any attempt to transport fresh illegally mined coal. With regard to auction of the previously mined coal, the state said that substantial progress has been made in terms of the timelines indicated in previous affidavits filed by the state and noticed in the orders passed by the High Court. “Several steps have been taken to comply with the previous orders of the High Court in the matter, particularly relating to the auction of coal and to ensure that there is no mining of coal in the state at all or any transportation of coal otherwise than for auction of the previously mined coal,” the Advocate General said. Meanwhile, the eighth interim report has been filed by Justice B P Katakey (retired) who has been appointed by the High Court to oversee the implementation of the directions issued by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the auction of previously illegally mined coal in accordance therewith. See also: 214 mineral blocks have been sold since 2015 says governmentIllegal mining in Dadam; NGT slaps fine of Rs 660 mn