SHILLONG, Aug 1 � The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today continued with its coal mining ban order in Meghalaya and said economic interest cannot have predominance over �right to life.�
NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar and expert member Ranjan Chatterjee, who presided over the hearing amid tight security here, rejected arguments from attorneys representing the Meghalaya Government that economic interest of the people has been badly affected due to the coal mining ban.
�Article 21 of the Constitution gives predominance to right to life than any other interests including economic interest. In the largest democracy of the world, we cannot permit economic interest to be preferred over the right to life and live in a healthy environment,� Kumar said in his order.
The court, therefore, continued with its April 17 interim order banning rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya, which has, however, allowed transportation of extracted coal kept in the open.
The April 17 interim order was passed after the All Dimasa Students� Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee filed a petition before the Tribunal arguing that the water in the Kopili river was turning acidic due to unscientific coal mining in Jaintia Hills and destroying the environment.
�We find no merit whatsoever as the issue has been raised for the sake of economic interest rather than caring for protection of the environment and constitutional rights of the citizens. The primary concern of the Tribunal is for the interest of protecting the environment and ecology besides safety of human beings,� he added.
The Tribunal further observed that �there is no doubt� that the acidic water in the streams �will be fatally injurious to human health,� as it is obvious from the Central and Meghalaya Pollution Control Boards which have collected water samples and submitted reports to the Tribunal. The reports stated that ground water and rivers are highly acidic in nature.
The Tribunal also came down heavily on the previous committee formed, on June 9, and asked it to create an inventory on the extracted coal. Disbanding the previous committee for failing to comply with the Tribunal�s directives, the NGT constituted a new committee headed by Meghalaya additional chief secretary KS Kropha and also comprising principal secretary (Forest and Environment) MS Rao, senior scientist of the Central Pollution Control Board, member secretary of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and a professor to be nominated by IIT Guwahati having expertise in mining.
The Court directed the Kropha-led committee to meet within one week from today (August 1) and to provide a complete picture of the extracted coal lying in various mining sites in Meghalaya in another week�s time. This committee would look into creation of an inventory on the extracted coal and help in the transportation of extracted coal lying in the depots across the State by framing comprehensive guidelines.
Meanwhile, the next hearing of the Tribunal will be held in the State capital on Oct 7 and 8.