SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government is currently awaiting feedback and alternative mining plans from various stakeholder associations regarding coal mining activities in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar revealed that this step is being taken to enable the state government to effectively present and discuss the matter with the Government of India, aiming to resolve the persistent challenges faced by local coal mine owners.
Speaking to media persons, Dhar shared that he recently chaired a productive meeting with leaders of the East Jaintia Hills Coal Traders Association. During the interaction, the government instructed the association to compile and submit their specific suggestions and alternative mining blueprints.
The Deputy Chief Minister added that once all proposals are received, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will convene a comprehensive joint meeting involving various district coal associations, stakeholders, and government officials to thoroughly deliberate on the matter.
Dhar noted that the association leaders raised serious concerns regarding the current scientific mining policy, arguing that it is impractical and unsuitable for the topography of their region. In response, the government tasked them with gathering concrete alternative suggestions for formal review.
The state government intends to expedite the process as soon as the proposals are submitted to the Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR). Following this, the Chief Minister will call a high-level meeting and subsequently take up the issue with the central government in accordance with legal provisions.
The state plans to hold detailed consultations with New Delhi to highlight the ground-level difficulties local citizens face due to a scientific mining framework that does not align with the geographical realities of Meghalaya, particularly in the Jaintia Hills region. Another round of discussions with the state’s coal traders’ associations will follow the submission of these proposals.
The Deputy Chief Minister acknowledged that under the existing mining policy framework, the minimum land area required to obtain a mining lease is far too vast, creating an insurmountable hurdle for small-scale local mine owners. Consequently, the state government intends to appeal to the Government of India to reduce the land area threshold specifically for Meghalaya.
He reiterated that it has become increasingly evident that the current policy is unworkable for the Jaintia Hills and certain other pockets of the state, making official re-negotiation absolutely necessary.
Addressing the option of open-cast mining, Dhar expressed that it does not appear to be a viable alternative due to its exorbitant operational costs. He noted that the public has explicitly petitioned the government against it. Since mining regulations fall under the purview of central authorities, the state government will proactively escalate these financial and operational grievances to the Government of India.
Providing context to the ongoing crisis, the Jaintia Hills region has been reeling under severe economic distress ever since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a blanket ban on the unscientific mining and transportation of coal in April 2014. In response to the prolonged impasse, the Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers, and Workers Association (JCOMSWA) had previously resolved to launch a peaceful hunger strike in front of the statue of freedom fighter U Kiang Nangbah at Khliehriat on June 1.
Association President Marshal S.B. Biam emphasized that the agitation was organized to draw urgent attention to the severe economic hardships plaguing the region, which have heavily impacted mine owners, operators, transporters, and daily wage laborers alike. Biam clarified that the hunger strike would remain entirely peaceful and democratic, ensuring that the law-and-order situation and public peace in the area are not disrupted.
