SHILLONG: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Vincent H. Pala has accused the State Government of deliberately refusing to seek amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), alleging that those in power fear losing illegal sources of income.
Addressing the media, Pala claimed that the government’s inaction is not due to legal constraints but a lack of political will.
Pala asserted that the Supreme Court of India has already clarified that minerals in tribal lands belong to the landowners, and therefore, amending the MMDR Act to facilitate regulated mining should not be a complicated process.
“If they amend the law to allow the public to mine coal according to environmental safety norms, those sitting in the Secretariat will lose the ‘collection’ they receive every day. The refusal to amend the law is solely because they want to continue amassing wealth through illegal means,” Pala alleged.
The MPCC chief described the state’s coal policy as unclear and inconsistent. Drawing a sharp analogy, he compared it to a wine shop that “closes the front door during the day but sells through the back door at night.”
According to Pala, the absence of a transparent legal framework has turned coal mining into what he termed a system of “roadside extortion,” where influential individuals allegedly profit at various stages while ordinary citizens operate in fear and uncertainty.
Referring to recurring mining accidents, Pala argued that local communities had historically mined coal with relative safety when operations were conducted openly.
He claimed that mining activities were carried out openly, and accidents were reportedly rare, adding that restrictions and policy ambiguity have pushed miners into secrecy, leading to hurried and unsafe practices, resulting in tragic fatalities.
Pala stated that while official documents portray Meghalaya as progressing, the reality on the ground tells a different story.
“Growth is visible only among a few individuals in power. The common people are becoming poorer,” he said.
He demanded that the government remove what he termed as “shackles” imposed on the people and establish clear, environmentally responsible regulations that protect both livelihoods and the rights of indigenous communities.
