GUWAHATI: The Meghalaya government will soon set up a group of ministers to examine the four-year-old ban by National Green Tribunal (NGT) on rat-hole coal mining, which was the source of livelihood for several thousands and a revenue earner for the state government.The ban, imposed in 2014, proved costly for Congress in the recently held state assembly election. While the Congress government failed to get NGT to reverse its ban, the National People's Party used it as one of its poll planks and assured voters to look into it if it was voted to power.On Tuesday, chief minister Conrad K Sangma , in a meeting with the State Coordination Committee of Coal Owners and Mine Dealers' Forum, promised to study the current status of the NGT ban and the way forward. "The chief minister told the delegations that a body led by a group of minister (GoM), comprising mining and geology, law, environment and home would be constituted to look into the whole issue," the chief minister's office said.The CM's office, quoting Sangma, said, "We will understand the issue and take feedback from all stakeholders and prepare a master plan as to how it can be taken forward. The issue of coal is a priority for our government. We are going to look at environmental concerns as we take forward our discussion with the Centre as well as with other concerned authorities."The NGT ordered an interim ban in April 17, 2014 and asked the state government to immediately stop illegal rat-hole coal mining. The ban was based on a petition by the All Dimasa Students' Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee before the tribunal, alleging that coal mining in Jaintia Hills of the state has turned the water of the Kopili river acidic.According to a source, the ban has resulted into revenue loss of more than Rs 600 crore for the state government over the years. The ban has also affected thousands of people across the Janitia Hills, who had earned their living as miners and traders, transporters and many others.Rat-hole mining has been a traditional practice here but commercial mining started in the early 1980s.

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