Summary
Pending final decision in the Meghalaya coal-mining appeals, limited transport permission was granted for 75,050 metric tonnes covered by already-issued challans under the earlier court order. The mining ban remained operative, and the State had to prevent fresh mining or transport of other coal under cover of this permission. Verification by senior officers, detailed registers and a fixed 17–31 May 2019 transport window were prescribed; further liabilities remained open.
Issues
- Whether limited transport of coal covered by earlier challans could be permitted pending final judgment.
- What verification and safeguards were required against illegal mining and transport.
Held
- The interim relief was confined to the remaining 75,050 metric tonnes identified by the Katakey Committee and covered by challans issued pursuant to the 4 December 2018 order. Other assessed or unassessed stocks were not covered. (¶ 14–16)
- The State had to devise safeguards preventing other coal from being mined or transported, entrusting compliance and verification to officers not below Deputy Commissioner rank. (¶ 15–17)
- Registers had to record quantity, payments, transporter, owner and verification-certificate particulars because possible additional liability remained undecided. (¶ 15)
- Applicants were permitted to intervene rather than impleaded. Direction applications otherwise awaited final disposal with the main case. (¶¶ 3–4, 16)
Result
Limited transportation permitted from 17 to 31 May 2019 after prescribed verification and certificate; none permitted thereafter under this order. State to finalise and publicise the mechanism within one week. Mining ban continued; final merits and further liabilities reserved. Impleadment requests disposed of by permitting intervention.