Two held for illegal mining

Two persons were arrested in Meghalaya's East Khasi HIlls district for violating the interim order of the National Green Tribunal banning rat-hole mining of coal in the entire state, the police said.
A coal truck driver and his aide were today arrested at Sohra in East Khasi Hills District for their involvement in transportation of coal violating the NGT order.
The two have been identified as driver Andreas Thabah and his helper Alton Nongrum.
The NGT had on April 17 passed an interim order banning primitive and unscientific rat-hole mining of coal in the entire state based on an appeal made by an Assam-based NGO.