SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has reiterated that while the Meghalaya government is pushing to lower the minimum coal mining area requirement to support small-scale miners, only scientific and safe mining practices will be permitted—ruling out any return to rat-hole mining.
Sangma said the state delegation, during recent meetings with the Union Ministry of Coal and Mining, proposed reducing the minimum mining area from 100 hectares to as little as 5-10 hectares, enabling local small-scale operators to participate in legal mining.
The proposal received a favorable response, with the Ministry forming a special committee now set to visit Meghalaya for further consultations.
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The Chief Minister clarified that coal mining is legally allowed in Meghalaya following the 2019 Supreme Court order, but extraction methods must comply with the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, which mandates scientific, opencast mining and strict environmental and safety protocols.
Sangma emphasized that rat-hole mining, banned by the National Green Tribunal and Supreme Court, will not be allowed under any circumstances.
The government has submitted proposals for scientific mining techniques adapted to Meghalaya’s geological conditions, aiming to enable safe, regulated extraction for small-scale operators while protecting miners and the environment.
(4FrontMedia news)
