TURA, March 31 - National Green Tribunal (NGT) today extended royalty payments until April 15 while keeping the last date of transportation of extracted coal as May 15.
The extension comes in the wake of the NGT closing the case of coal mining that had been raised by All Dimasa Students� Union and Dima Hasao after complaints of the pollution of Kopili river due to extensive coal mining.
The NGT today closed the case providing partial relief to miners with the extension of coal royalty payment though transportation will only be allowed till May 15.
The State, however, faces a huge dilemma following the instructions given by NGT for seizure of all coal that remains un-transported after the cut-off date of May 15. The seized coal is then supposed to be auctioned and sold off.
�According to the instruction of NGT, Union Coal Ministry, Meghalaya Government and Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) will submit a mining plan and guidelines for approval.
The State Government has been provided a four week window to submit a status report on the progress of the mining plan and policy.
