Source: http://journals.christuniversity.in/index.php/culj/article/view/2206
Timestamp: 2020-02-25 00:43:18
Document Index: 290324264

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No, 110', 'Application No. 73', 'Application No. 13', 'Application No. 110', 'Application No. 110', 'Application No, 110', 'Application No. 73', 'Application No. 110', 'Application No. 73', 'Application No. 13', 'Application No. 110', 'Application No. 73', 'Application No. 13', 'Application No. 110', 'Application No. 110', 'Application No, 110']

Analyzing the Need to Reinstate the NGT Ban with Respect to Meghalaya’s Rat-Hole Mines | Christ University Law Journal Christ University Law Journal
Analyzing the Need to Reinstate the NGT Ban with Respect to Meghalaya’s Rat-Hole Mines
Antony Moses National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12728/culj.16.2
Keywords: Sixth Schedule, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, B.P Katakey Commission, Mines Act, 1952, Acid-Mine Drainage
On 13th December 2018, 15 miners were trapped in a rat-hole mine in the East Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya. This incident happened despite the ban imposed and the detailed guidelines laid down by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014, in response to the South Garo Hills incident. As of date, no concrete legislative measures have been implemented by the State Government of Meghalaya, nor by the respective autonomous District Councils to regulate coal-mining. Clothed with the protection conferred by the Sixth Schedule, the State harbors rampant scientific mining practices, and its administration argues that it is a necessity for the economic development of the State. As a result, agriculture has been brought to a standstill and the coal mafia plaguing the State has received an added impetus. Rehabilitation of citizens remains a distant dream and the Sixth Schedule protection afforded to the State, facilitates exploitation instead of protecting the masses. This article will argue strongly for the continuation of the NGT Ban and analyze and counter popular arguments that have been presented for the legalization of coal mining in Meghalaya.
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Navy Robot located body in Meghalaya mine, THE HINDU (Jan. 18, 2019),https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/body-of-one-of-15 trapped- meghalaya- miners-found-by-naval-divers/article26010931.ece. 66 See BP KATAKEY COMM’N REPORT, supra note 13, at 40. 67 See Karmakar, supra note 5.68 Meghalaya CM pushes for regulated coal mining, THE HINDU (Jan. 19, 2019), https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ meghalaya-cm-pushes-for-regulated-coal-mining/article26030691.ece[hereinafter Meghalaya CM] 69 Legalise Coal mining in Meghalaya, THE HINDU, Dec. 30, 2018, at 9.
It is a question of livelihood: Owners, THE HINDU (Jan. 7, 2019), https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/it-is-a-question-of-livelihood-owners/article25934581.ece 71 Meghalaya CM, supra note69. 72 Id.
State of Meghalaya v. All Dimasa Students Union Dima Hasao Dist. Committee, Original Application No. 73 of 2014 & Original ApplicationNo. 13 of 2014 & Original Application No. 110 (THC) / 2012 14 (Aug. 1 2014) [hereinafter August Order]. 74 Id. at5. 75 Id. at5. 76 Id 77 Id at 10 78 State of Meghalaya v. All Dimasa Students Union Dima Hasao Dist. Committee, Original Application No. 73 of 2014 & Original Application No. 13 of 2014 & Original Application No. 110 (THC) / 2012 5 (Oct. 7, 2014) [hereinafter October Order].79 Id 80 State of Meghalaya v. All Dimasa Students Union Dima Hasao Dist. Committee, Original Application No. 73 of 2014 & Original Application No. 13 of 2014 & Original Application No. 110 (THC) / 2012 12 (Mar. 25, 2015) [hereinafter March Order]. 81 Id. 82 January Order, supra note 40, at 12. 83 August Order, supra note 74, at10. 84 January Order, supra note 40, at6.85 Id at 10. 86 August Order, supra note 74, at 14. 87 October Order, supra note 79, at 9. 88 Id. 89 March Order, supra note 81, at 6.90 Id at 7. 91 Id 92 Threat to Life Arising Out of Coal Mining in South Garo Hills District v State of Meghalaya, Original Application No. 110 (THC)/2012 4 (Aug. 31, 2018).93 January Order, supra note 40, at 4. 94 March Order, supra note 81, at 6.95 Chandra Bhushan, Rat-hole coal mining must be discontinued, DOWN TOEARTH (Mar. 04, 2019), https:// www.downtoearth.org.in / blog/mining/-rat-hole-coal-mining-must-be-discontinued--63253. 96 BP KATAKEY COMM’N REPORT, supra note 13, at2. 97 Id. See Pramod K Yadav, supra note 22, at 6. 98 Chandra Bhushan, supra note 97; Patricia Mukhim, A Tragedy that was long in the making, THE HINDU (Jan. 25, 2019), https:// www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-tragedy-that-was-long-in-the-making/article26082607.ece.99 Hope of greening the ravaged land, THE SHILLONG TIMES (Apr. 30, 2014), http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2014/04/30/hope-of-greening-the-ravaged-land/. [hereinafter Hope of greening the ravaged land] 100 August Order, supra note 74, at 12. 101 January Order, supra note 40, at 4. 102 Id. 103 Hope of greening the ravaged land, supra note 102. 104 Meghalaya CM, supra note 69.105 October Order, supra note 79, at 6. 106 July Order, supra note 15, at 102. 107 Id. 108 ARVIND P. DATAR, COMMENTARY ON THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA 2132 (2nd ed. 2010). 109 Id. 110 See The Repealing and Amending (Second) Act, First Schedule (2017). 111 Karmakar, supra note 12. 112 Meghalaya CM, supra note 69.113 Id. 114 State of Environment Report, supra note 49, at 5. 115 DIRECTORATE OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS, MEGHALAYA SOCIO-ECONOMIC REVIEW 26 (2003). 116 Id. 117 See Karmakar, supra note 5 118 Id.
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