By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Prominent environmentalist from Jaintia Hills MH Mohrmen said that it is totally misleading on the part of the Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong to say that the stakeholders are not totally convinced with the Mines and Mineral Policy, 2012 which was approved by the Cabinet on October 5.
“During the interaction with the Deputy Chief Minister, we raised several pertinent issues concerning the policy,” Mohrmen said here on Tuesday.
He said one of the pertinent issues raised in the meeting was regarding the preservation of ecologically sensitive areas. “The provision of the ecological sensitive areas was actually there in the draft, but was omitted in the policy,” Mohrmen said.
He said that the Deputy Chief Minister had assured that this issue would be taken into consideration by the Government.
“We have also raised the issue about rat hole mining. We have told him (Lanong) that the traditional rat hole mining is no longer being practised. Many of the mine owners are now using big machines to extract coal,” Mohrmen said adding that the Deputy Chief Minister also could not reply whether the National Mining Regulation is applicable in the State.
Earlier, Lanong had stated that the stakeholders on principle have accepted the policy which was passed by the Cabinet on October 5 and added that they have also agreed to a provision mentioned in the policy where the Government through a notification is empowered to amend and withdraw various provisions incorporated in the policy as and when felt necessary.