Newmai News Network
Shillong | November 15
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) appointed committee has decided to recommend paying additional compensation to the next of kin of the 16 miners who died in the Ksan mining tragedy last year even as it directed authorities to first verify the families of the victims of the 2012 mine tragedy in South Garo Hills in Meghalaya before disbursing damages.
Speaking to media person after the NGT panel meeting on Friday, Retired Justice BP Katakey, informed that it has been decided to recommend additional compensation to next of kin of the Ksan miners and also to victims of a subsequent incident in East Jaintia Hills where two people died and one was injured.
“We have decided to make recommendation for payment of some additional amount apart from the amount which has already been released to them in our report to be submitted in this month and it is scheduled to be considered by the honorable NGT on December 6,” he said.
He also informed that so far, the families of the victims of the Ksan mine tragedy have got Rs 3 lakh relief each.
Retired Justice Katakey informed that the state government had paid Rs 1 lakh and another Rs 2 lakhs was sanctioned from the Prime Minister Relief Fund. “We will recommend for payment of some additional amount,” the NGT panel chief said.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, he also found “unacceptable” the claim made by the custom officials that that under the guidelines issued to them it is not required to verify whether the trucks carrying coal has the necessary permits from the government of Meghalaya.
“This to my mind is very astounding,” he said.
“I said that is not acceptable because you know that the coal mining activity in the state of Meghalaya has been stopped by the NGT from 2014. That means you are duty bound to check everything. Whether it is legally mined coal or not otherwise tomorrow illegal activity may be allowed to be done in the border and this is not acceptable,” the NGT panel chief added.
Meanwhile, after the sudden resignation of Prof AK Singh last month from the NGT committee, he has been replaced by Prof SC Bhowmick, Department of Mining Engineering Technology of Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. The next meeting of the NGT panel will be held on November 21.
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