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NGT uphold coal mining ban but allows transportation
Correspondent Shillong, Oct 7: The National Green Tribunal Tuesday upheld its ban on coal mining in Meghalaya, but relaxed the guidelines of transportation of 6.3 million tonnes of extracted coal by paying royalty in three equal installments. The green court passed the order at the Meghalaya High Court as the tribunal’s special circuit bench, eastern zone, comprising chairperson Justice (retd.) Swatanter Kumar judicial member U.D. Salvi and two expert members, Devendra Kumar Agrawal and P.C.Mishra conducted a hearing on issues relating to coal mining in the state. “The royalty should be paid on whichever assessed/declared extracted coal is higher and that the royalty can be paid in three equal installments, within 45 days from the date of lifting of coal for transportation, since it has been pleaded that it was difficult to pay the royalty at one go,” said Justice Swatanter Kumar. The tribunal directive earlier was for paying the royalty in a single installment after lifting the extracted coal for transportation.
However, the tribunal directed the government to strictly follow the guidelines of the NGT’s re-constituted committee headed by Meghalaya Additional Chief Secretary K.S.Kropha to set up ten check posts which will shall operate in accordance with the content of the earlier order of the NGT. “The state government shall provide online weighing by fixing remote sensor and no vehicle transporting coal would be allowed to exit the state without passing through this online weighing. Due records should be maintained pertaining to transported coal and such records should be produced to the committee as and when directed,” the tribunal said. Quoting the Kropha panel, there is 6.3 million tonne of extracted coal in different parts of the State with a value of Rs 3,078 crore. The royalty payable to the state government is about Rs 400 crore. Upholding its interim order banning the rat-hole mining in Meghalaya, the green court directed the Kropha panel to submit a comprehensive report and methodology on mining plan for carrying out scientific,
regulated and permissible mining in the state. “There should be pollution free mining to protect human beings and the environment, to keep flora and fauna intact and there should be no further deterioration of water bodies,” the tribunal said. “The report should also include measures for restoration of acidic water. The above steps are necessary so that people of Meghalaya are able to drink water without fear of sickness or illness.” It also directed the panel to engage a specialized agency like the Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited (CMPDI) to carry out specific scientific survey on the impact of pollution due to mining, mapping of the entire coal reserve in the state and identify the areas where such activity is permitted to carry on. “The committee will have to complete its proceedings at the earliest so that mining can be allowed as and when the safety measures are adopted and the government must provide safety gadgets and proper remuneration for people engaged in the mining activities and take action against child labour.” Kumar said.
Gauhati HC verdict on TET qualifiers
Correspondent
Diphu, Oct 7: Recruitment process in Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to fill up 232 posts of primary school teachers caused due to retirement and death vacancy received another jolt when a Gauhati High court single bench judge J. Chutia passed an interim order on September 22. The judgment has clearly mentioned that the 2012 amended Education Act has disallowed appointment of any person in the post of teachers who are not TET qualified. The order also stated that the jurisdiction of the act would be applicable in the sixth schedule areas and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. Justice J. Chutia in his order mentioned that although Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council was empowered to assign job to the primary teachers in the primary schools functioning under the jurisdiction of the KAAC,
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but the national educational statute deserved to be alike in the country, and the amended education act of 2012, will remain equivalent and unchanged in case of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. The court has therefore ordered KAAC authority not to appoint any candidates who were not TET qualified as primary school teacher. It may be mentioned here that the education department under the control of KAAC invited application from candidates for filling up posts of 232 primary school teachers through a notification on August 8, where it was mentioned that the TET qualified candidates will be given priority and those candidates who have not gone by TET were also allowed to appear in the interview. Contradictory announcement in the KAAC notification prompted Guwahati High Court to pass the interim order.
URF asks government to return arms Correspondent IMPHAL, Oct 7: Reaffirming its decision to take up arm again, the United Revolutionary Front (URF) has asked Manipur government to return all the weapons which were submitted at the time of signing tripartite suspension of operation. URF, a conglomerate of five different factions of the underground Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), has entered to a tripartite suspension of operation (SoO) with the state and Central governments in February, 2013. However, alleging that state government betrayed them and by treating its cadres as surrendered militants, many cadres of the outfit led by its chairman Lanheiba had left their designated camp and later announced that they have decided to take up arm again. Days after Lanheiba declared taking up arm against, a statement signed by its home secretary Ruhini Meitei to the media on Monday demanded government to return the weapons. The statement of its home secretary Ruhini while asking the government to return every single piece of its weaponry, threatened that failure on the part of the government will compel the outfit to strike concern officials of the state government and leaders and workers of ruling Congress in the state. It may be mentioned that on the day of inking the tripartite MoU at a simple ceremony held at the banquet hall of 1st MR, Imphal, a total of 90 cadres of the outfit laid down their arms and ammunitions to the government even though its leaders claimed its cadre strength at 470. Alleging that state government had failed to initiate talk for early settlement to the peace process, URF chairman in a recent statement had said that its cadres feeling extremely regretful for entering into such agreement by believing the false promises of the government left the designated camp.
Nagaland Post, Dimapur WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2014
M’laya floods: Death toll rises to 59 Correspondent Shillong, Oct 7: The death toll in the recent flash floods and landslides in Meghalaya has risen to 59 with the recovery of one more body, while three more people are still missing, officials said Tuesday. More than two lakh people were affected by the flood waters which have submerged at least 1,172 villages across 27 blocks and over 30 thousand displaced have now been housed in 108 relief camps. “The official toll has gone up to 59 with the recovery of one more body from East Khasi Hills district. Three more people are still missing and the search is still on,” Chief Secretary P.B.O. Warjri said. “The situation has improved quite significantly in all the flood-affected areas of Garo Hills. The flood water has receded and the district authorities are on job to assess
the exact cause of damages.” Warjri said that many of the displaced people are still taking shelter in the relief camp. He said the government is still providing food and other relief material to the affected flood people. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had said :”This is the worst-flood that the people in Garo Hills have faced. We have not only lost precious lives but the quantum of damaged is also very high”. “There is so much we need to do now. We have been moved back ten years in our development program due to the flood as major areas have been devastated by the floods. Everywhere we went there were only sad stories to tell.” Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who had conducted an aerial survey on the flood affected areas in Garo Hills, had assured to provide maximum assistance to the Meghalaya government.
Parts of Japanese WW-II fighter planes traced to Loktak lake Correspondent IMPHAL, Oct 7: Parts of two Japanese fighter aircrafts (Oscar) shot down by the British force during at Second World War in the Loktak lake during the Battle of Imphal have been traced by the Second World War Imphal Campaign Foundation. The foundation was reported to have identified the site where British forces shot down and sunk the two Japanese fighter aircrafts in Loktak lake by British forces on June 17, 1944. The foundation has also identified the site where British bomber Wellington had crashed on the same day, founder of the Second World War Imphal Campaign Foundation Yumnam Rajeshwar said.The sites where the war planes crash-landed were identified after talking with elders who saw the war and some other people who were found selling parts or wreckages of Second World War aircrafts, a local daily published in Imphal reported. The two Oscar fighter aircrafts plummeted into Loktak Lake after they were shot down. Their tails and posterior sections have been dismantled and sold as scrap metals. The remaining parts of the aircrafts were still under water, Rajeshwar believed. British bomber aircraft Wellington too crashed the same day. Six crew members of the bomber aircraft were found dead and floating on Loktak Lake by people of the area. All the six British soldiers were buried at the Imphal War Cemetery, he added. Engines, cockpits and other parts of the crashed planes were still under water and the foundation has started due process to retrieve all these wreckages of the Second World War era, Rajeshwar added.
Dear Kaka, Many many Happy Returns of the Day....We thank God for this day on which you were blessed in our life.. It is our ernest prayer and wish that God bless you a long life with a bright future ahead of you... We Love you a lot our cute angel! God bless you....With prayers and good wishes, Mom, Dad, Nongo, Cusns Zoe, Angie, Kezie, Sendemo & Chan-chan & loved ones.... Dearest Priyanka Rai, Right from the very first time we held you in our arms, we knew you were special. Today we find ourselves really happy to see you grown up so beautifully. Happy Birthday to our little princess. Lots of love Pappa, Mommy and all loving one. Good Morning Birthday Boy Inoki Swu!! May you have all the joy your heart can hold, All the smiles a day can bring, All the blessings a life can unfold, May you have Gods best in everything. Wishing you a Happy Birthday. From Aza jeho,Uncle sunny,Nali, vito liho,Niki. Dear Imlisangla Molli (Kohima), Though I’ve never met you but you are a veryspecial person to me, and also on this special day of yours I hoped to wish you in person but fate had something else planned for us so happy birthday and enjoy your day to the fullest. With love and regards Wandy Jamir. Dearest Nsunbeni Ovung, It is delightful to see you a quarter of a century today. Congratulations, Wish you happiness and long life. Happy 25th Birthday
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