NGT hearing today

New Delhi, September 15, 2014: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) will hold a hearing here on Tuesday on the modalities of transportation of coal in Meghalaya even as the first meeting of high-level committee set up by the PMO to discuss the contentious coal mining issue, which was scheduled to be held on Monday, has been postponed.

The NGT hearing will focus on the interim order on transportation of coal from West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills districts. Some contentious issues like transportation guidelines, timeframe and also royalty may come up during hearing, to be chaired by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar.

Kumar will be accompanied by NGT expert member Ranjan Chatterjee, former Meghalaya Chief Secretary.

Meghalaya Government in the hearing will be represented by its counsel Ranjan Mukherjee.

Meanwhile, the first meeting of the PMO-constituted committee, scheduled to be held on Monday, was postponed at the last minute. Probably change in the schedule of the NGT led to the postponement of the meeting. The NGT will also have another meeting in Shillong on October 7, sources said.

Source: The Shillong Times