Justice (retd) BP Katakey Resigns from NGT Panel

In the last few meetings, the retired Justice noticed that the Meghalaya government was reluctant to share certain information the committee had asked for

A Correspondent

SHILLONG: The chairman of the committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Justice (retd) BP Katakey on Monday said the Meghalaya government has refused to provide information about the 32 lakh MT of the already extracted coal which is lying for auctioning and transportation in the State. He also pointed out that the State Government had even written to the committee that it has no jurisdiction to ask for that information sought. He said this while expressing his decision to resign from his assignment.

Speaking to media persons after a meeting of the committee here, BP Katakey said that in the proceedings, he expressed his mind to disassociate himself from the committee due to “personal reasons and inconvenience”.

“I will write to the Supreme Court to relieve me and therefore the next date of the meeting has not been fixed. At this age I cannot frequently come to Shillong. I am not physically very fit,” he said.

He also informed that during the proceedings held on Monday, Coal India Limited has sought a report relating to the availability of 32 lakh MT of extracted coal.

“Details of those would be provided to Coal India Limited by the government of Meghalaya,” Katakey said.

He informed that although Coal India Limited will not make physical verification of their existence since it may not be possible to go to the interior places but verify them on papers.

“It may not be possible for the Coal India Limited to visit the coal depots since it does not have any establishment in the State. Therefore having regards to the manpower, they said that it may not be possible to go to each and every place because as you know there are 24, 000 coal mines in one district itself,” Katakey pointed out.

He also said that assessment of the 32 lakh MT of extracted coal as submitted by the Meghalaya to the Supreme Court will ultimately be done when coal is transported through the weigh bridges for weighment after the auction.

“Whatever is recorded in the weigh bridge is the quantity identified,” he added.

When asked if he was satisfied with the whole proceeding that he has conducted so far as chairman of the committee, Katakey said that in the last few meetings he noticed that the government was reluctant to share certain information the committee had asked for.

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