SHILLONG: The Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma, has made a strong case for urgent resumption of “legal coal mining” in the state. Participating in the general discussion on the budget on the second day of the re-assembled budget session, Sangma emphasised that such action needs to be “transparent”. Appreciating the ruling of the Supreme Court for recognising the rights and practices of the tribal people with regard to mining, he said that the ruling is the outcome of the continuous pleadings of the people before the apex court.
The former chief minister said that the state government should not waste anymore time on the issue since there are innumerable number of people whose livelihood solely depended on coal mining. He however recalled that the ban of coal mining by the National Green Tribunal in 2014 had dislocated the economic activity in the state even as he recalled that the state government had a plan in mind since it had foreseen that such consequences was going to take place.
He felt that the failure of the coal-mine owners to adapt to scientific methods of mining eventually led to this ban. In his reply, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed the House that the state government was up to the task and had already provided training to 1200 potential miners on scientific mining. He said that the government is holding consultation with the miners on the preparation of the mining plan and also provide the names of the firms which can help them to prepare these plans. The chief minister further informed that the auctioning of the 2 lakh metric tonnes of coal by the Kolkata-based Metal Scrap and Trading Corporation would take place in the next two to three weeks.