NGT asks Meghalaya govt to compensate victims of mining mishaps

Meghalaya government has been asked by a panel of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)  to prepare compensation packages for all those who were killed or injured over the years while carrying out mining activities in the state.
It has been reported in local media in Shillong that Meghalaya government has told the NGT committee that compensation of Rs 1 lakh each will be provided to the families of the all the victims of the latest mining mishap in East Jaintia Hills district of the state that occurred on December 13 last.
The NGT committee headed by BP Katoki held its third meeting in Shillong, which was attended by senior government officials of the concerned departments. The panel suggested the need to provide compensation to the families of all the victims on mining mishap in the state  who are yet to get justice for the last many years.
It has been learnt that Meghalaya government has failed to provide the NGT panel with official data regarding the number of deaths and injuries caused during mining activities in Meghalaya.
Sources informed that 98 cases of illegal coal mining were detected since 2014 in the state as per the government report. It may be mentioned that NGT had banned coal mining in Meghalaya since April, 2014.
During the last meeting, the government had apprised the NGT committee that over 2,900 trucks were seized for illegal transportation of coal and in this regard over 1,000 cases were registered.