Shillong, Oct 31: A special leave petition related to the ban on coal mining which was filed by the Meghalaya State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealer’s Forum will be taken up in Supreme Court on November 2.

The petition challenged an order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 31 this year.

The NGT’s Principal Bench while disposing of all pending matters related to the case filed before the Tribunal in 2012 and 2014, maintained that the ban on coal mining and transportation of the already mined coal in Meghalaya will continue.

The NGT has banned coal mining in Meghalaya since April 17, 2014.

The NGT also ordered that the State of Meghalaya should be the receiver/custodian of the available extracted coal, subject to further orders of the Supreme Court.

Balios Swer, in-charge Media Cell of the Meghalaya State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealer’s Forum said that the Forum had consistently pleaded before the National Green Tribunal for the last four years or more, that coal mining activities cannot be construed as illegal, in as much as the State and the Central Governments have accorded the acknowledgment of the traditional method of coal mining in the State of Meghalaya, and coal miners have been also paying royalties and taxes.

Swer said that the National Green Tribunal instead of accommodating the proposals of mining plans submitted by the State Government and supported by the Forum to lift the ban on coal mining, disposed of the matter and making the ban infinite.

“The Forum reiterated that the ethnic people of the State are geared up to adapt themselves to the new scientific and safe mining methods, which would balance the protection of their livelihoods and water pollution,” Swer said.