SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government will examine the high court committee’s report on framing guidelines for mining of coal through scientific means.
This was informed by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma.
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The Meghalaya high court had appointed a one-member committee, which suggested a need to frame guidelines for scientific mining of coal in the Northeast state.
“We will definitely examine the points mentioned by the one-member committee and wherever steps need to be taken we will take steps,” said Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma.
He said that the government of India has approved and cleared four mining plans, based on different guidelines.
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“We are on track. I am not very clear as to what is the specific requirement of that one-member committee. I had not done the assessment of mining part but as far my information and my knowledge goes the mining plans, whatever has been required in the past, has been done and that is the reason why we are able to clear 4-5 mining plans,” Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma said.
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“I don’t want to jump the gun right now but machines have already been ordered, some have been installed, some are on the way and we do expect there will be a lot of movement that will take place in the month of January,” he said.
The Meghalaya CM added: “Let’s hope very soon things will start but I don’t want to give any date because these are technical matters; but a lot of advancement, as I said, even equipment has already been ordered and some of them are being installed.”
He further said that said that relentless efforts are underway to stop illegal mining and transportation of coal.
However, the Meghalaya chief minister said that mining is an activity, which the people of the state have been engaged in for centuries.
“One has to understand that it is more than a question of illegal mining, it is a question of the livelihood of the people and how can we now slowly shift towards scientific mining at the same time we can shift people’s livelihood to other activities like tourism and agriculture,” the Meghalaya CM said.