The Gauhati High Court has recently issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging respondent authorities in the State of Assam renewed Coal Mining Licence in violation of the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation & Development) Act, 1957.

The PIL has been filed by Mrinmoy Khataniar and others. Relying on the report of the One Man Commission headed by Justice (Retired) B. P. Katakey, D.K. Das, counsel for the petitioners, submitted that in violation of the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation & Development) Act, 1957 as well as the provisions of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, the respondent authorities in Assam renewed Coal Mining Licence in favour of North East Coalfields, under the Coal India Limited in respect of renewal of coal mining lease relating to

(i) 2.38 sqr.km of Tirap Mining lease;

(ii) 4.48 sqr.km of Lekhapani-Tipongpani Mining lease,

(iii) 4.00 sqr.miles (Ledo + Borgolai) Mining lease, all in the district of Tinsukia and

(iv) Jeypore Mining lease in the district of Dibrugarh.

The Division Bench of Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak and Justice Soumitra Saikia while considering the PIL issued notice to the respondents.