Urging the need to stop rampant illegal mining in the hill districts of Meghalaya, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the northeastern State to transfer ₹100 crore from the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund (MEPRF) to the Central Pollution Control Board to be used for restoring an environment ravaged by miners.
The case was based on a 2012 incident concerning the death of 15 of 30 labourers trapped inside a rat-hole coal mine in South Garo Hill.s
The State had appealed against a National Green Tribunal order against it to pay ₹100 crore for not acting against illegal mining activities. The tribunal had found that the unregulated mining had not only cost lives but destroyed pristine hills too.s
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“Natural resources of the country are not meant to be consumed only by the present generation of men or women of the region where natural resources are deposited. These treasures of nature are for all generations to come and for intelligent use of the entire country. The present generation owes a duty to preserve and conserve the natural resources of the nation... ,” Justice Bhushan, who authored the judgment, said.