A Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) delegation led by Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma is leaving for New Delhi on Thursday to meet the Prime Minister and the union Home Minister over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and coal mining issues.
A source in Shillong informed that the MDA delegation will first meet the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh on Friday before they meet the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Saturday to discuss the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the coal issue.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Also read: Meghalaya citizens’ report on unregulated coal mining released
The MDA delegation is going to apprise the Union leaders about the grave concern expressed by the people of the region as a whole against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
The Meghalaya cabinet has already passed an official resolution opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The MDA delegation will also discuss others issues including exempting Meghalaya from the purview of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, Coal Mines Nationalization Act, 1973, and the National Games 2022.
The Coal Ministry has already exempted Meghalaya from Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and Coal Mines Nationalisation Act, but the constitutional power to exempt it lies with the Home Ministry.
Coal mine accidents have been rampant in Meghalaya because of the prevalent practice of unscientific “rat hole mining”. In the latest coal mine tragedy in the state 15 miners were trapped in a flooded coal mine on December 13 last year in East Jaintia Hills district.
The trapped miners are yet to be traced despite unrelenting rescue operations being carried out by several agencies.
Illegal mining allegedly have continuing in Meghalaya in defiance of a National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed interim ban on rat hole mining since April 17, 2014.
The Supreme Court is monitoring the rescue operation to trace the trapped miners inside the coal mine in East Jaintia Hills District.