Shillong: The Prime Minister's Office has constituted a committee to facilitate systemic, scientific and planned utilisation of mineral resources in Meghalaya to prevent environmental degradation, officials said on Thursday. The six-member Committee chaired by the cabinet secretary has Home secretary, Coal ministry secretary, Mines secretary and Meghalaya chief secretary, the official said.
"The Prime Minister's Office has last week constituted the committee to work out a harmonious solution on the matter," Meghalaya Mining and Geology principal secretary Y Tshering said.
Tasked with facilitating systemic, scientific and planned utilisation of mineral resources in the state, the committee will have its first meeting in Delhi on September 15 next to deliberate in the matter, he said. Meghalaya Chief Secretary PBO Warjri has had a deliberation with the concerned officials in his office chamber earlier on Thursday.
While the state has approved the Meghalaya Mines and Minerals Policy two years ago, rules for the same is yet to come up and made operational affecting the environment due to mining. The National Green Tribunal has in April last put on hold all coal mining activities pending operationalising of a scheme to meet statutory requirement of environment protection and safety.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has taken up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July after which the former has directed the department to engage a renowned Constitutional lawyer to advise the government in this regard.
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