Cabinet approves MEPRF guidelines

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 17, 2019

SHILLONG: The state cabinet has cleared the guidelines for operation of the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund (MEPRF).

After the meeting held here on Tuesday, chief minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters that the fund under the MEPRF was collected after the ban on coal mining was imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014.

He said the state government has opened an account in the Nationalized Bank in the name of MEPRF and 10 per cent of the market value of the coal per metric ton is being collected from the transportation of already extracted coal as allowed by the Supreme Court.

“This fund is accrued up to Rs 445 crore and of this, Rs 100 crore has been given to the central pollution control board (CPCB) in pursuant of the order passed by the Supreme Court on July 3,” Sangma said.

He informed that based on the guidelines approved by the Cabinet, the fund will be implemented and utilized.

On the other hand, the chief minister informed that Rs 100 crore which has been transferred to the CPCB will again be implemented in the state of Meghalaya itself.

“Different committees have been set up for this and there are different guidelines put into place and the different areas where this money can be used – those have also been defined in the guidelines,” he said.

Asked, Sangma informed that some of the areas where the fund will be utilized include pilot project for reclamation of abandoned coal mines by involving reputed institutes, installation of pollution control devices, development and transfer of AMD treatment technology.

Besides, it will also involve restoration of ecology damaged by the coal mining including tree plantation, closure of abandon mines by controlled blasting and reclamation of area, erection of physical barrier at the periphery of shaft of mine, drinking water supply, restoration of water quality and others, he added.