MCTOOA questions NGT order on Environment Fund

From a Reporter

SHILLONG, April 21: The Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Operators Association (MCTOOA) on Tuesday questioned the decision of the NGT to impose a payment of Rs. 480 per metric ton of coal towards environment fund.

Augustin Shanpru, president of MCTOOA, said “Paying Rs. 480 per metric ton of coal, apart from the royalty, has greatly affected the coal traders across the state, right from the coal mine owners, the coal traders, the truck owners to the public in general.”

“We are using scientific mining methods and not unscientific ones. So why do we have to pay to the environment fund,” he said. This, he said, has prompted them to write to the NGT against the order. “Compared to other markets, Meghalaya is not able to compete with the prices of coal,” he said.

Shanpru said that on April 6, the MCTOOA filed a petition to the NGT to revoke the order. The first hearing on the petition was held on April 15. The NGT was not able to issue any order regarding this matter. The second hearing was slated for today, but it has been deferred till April 30.