Illegal mining: NGT slaps 100 cr cost on Meghalaya

The National Green Tribunal on Friday directed the Meghalaya government to deposit a whopping Rs 100 crore cost for its failure to stop illegal coal mining in the state.

The tribunal's principal bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel imposed the cost on the state after relying upon an expert committee report that said illegal coal mining has been going on in the state for the last 15 to 20 years.

The amount was directed to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board, which would use it for restoration of the environment and ecology over there.

Meghalaya's Advocate General Amit Kumar confirmed to DH about the cost having been imposed on the state.

He said a detailed order running to 20 to 25 pages was passed by the tribunal, which was yet to be delivered to the state government.

"We will go through the order once it is out, and may challenge it before the Supreme Court," he said.

The state at present is faced with a difficult situation where 15 mine workers are trapped inside an illegal coal mine for the last 23 days.