SHILLONG, FEB 9: Even as the Supreme Court recently said that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban of coal mining is in nature an “interim order” it has reportedly asked the tribunal to “dispose off’ the ban case imposed on unscientific rat-hole coal mining as expeditiously as possible.
In an order passed on February 2 the Chief Justice of India (CJI) HL Dattu and Judge AK Sikri said,“We request the members of the NGT, Circuit Bench at Meghalaya to dispose of the main matter pending before it as expeditiously as possible.”
The Supreme Court order was passed after an appeal petition was filed by one Lber Laloo on behalf of the mine workers on June last year seeking relief from the order of the NGT on ban of coal mining in Meghalaya.
The petition was also filed against the All Dimasa Students Union.
While dismissing the appeal petition of Laloo, the order, nonetheless, had stated, “Since the impugn order (of the NGT) is in the nature of an ‘interim order’, we decline to entertain this appeal. Accordingly, the Civil Appeal is dismissed.”
Addressing a media conference on the Supreme Court order on Monday, the petitioner Lber Laloo said, “The case of Meghalaya has been lingering in the NGT’s court for about a year now and final determination of the issues by NGT was not foreseeable in near future affecting lives of poor mine workers.”
Laloo, was accompanied by his team of mine workers including A Shanpru, who is also the president of the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Operators Association (MCTOOA), Pynskhemborlang Sawian, T War Dkhar, and Madal Sumer.
According to them, the appeals was filed against the order of NGT as many who are stakeholders wanted that the NGT’s order on ban of coal mining be vacated but it was dismissed without any relief by the apex court.
“But the Supreme Court has given patient hearing to the submission made by our counsel. The Court observed orally during course of hearing that all the orders passed by the NGT so far are interim in nature especially in the light of submission that ban has crippled economy and it led to closure of schools and churches and it declined to interfere with interim order,” Shanpru told reporters.
Shanpru said, “However, having regard the submissions made by the counsel, the Supreme Court was pleased to direct the NGT to hear the matter as expeditiously as possible.”
“We feel that the Supreme Court after hearing the counsel of Lber Laloo and the facts and circumstances put before it has asked the NGT expedited the case and put it in fast track mode,” Shanpru informed.
According to Shanpru the apex court has given the best relief that it can give at the momentby asking the NGT to dispose off the case once and for all at the earliest and pass the final order in whatever way the NGT deemed right and proper.- By Our Reporter
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