By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh said that unscientific mining has continued to wreck havoc on the environment despite the State having come up with the Meghalaya Mines and Mineral Policy, 2012.
“Many of the rivers have been polluted due to the ongoing unscientific mining,” Lyngdoh said during Question Hour in the Assembly on Monday.
While quoting one of the guideline in the Policy, he said that all abandoned mines would have to be filled up and preserved to ensure that no untraced acids mines are discharged into the rivers and water bodies.
“I would like to know if this provision of the Mining Policy would be strictly implemented?” the UDP legislator questioned. In reply, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma assured that the various provisions of the Meghalaya Mines and Mineral Policy, 2012 would be implemented in letter and spirit.
The Chief Minister also said that all the mines owners and developers would have to follow the specified guidelines within one year from the date of notification of the Policy.