Livelihood sources for sand miners
SHILLONG: The State Government is in a dilemma after the directive of the National Green Tribunal to ban sand mining in the State as the decision somehow affects the livelihood of the people who are dependent on the mining of sand to meet their ends meet.
Speaking to reporters here recently, Water Resources Minister Rowell Lyngdoh said that the department is trying to work out the list of people in villages which are getting affected due to the imposition of the ban on collection of sand mining.
“We are working on a concept under the Green Mission to provide an alternative source of income for those people who are being affected,” Lyngdoh said
Stating that the Government has to restore the greenery in sand mining areas through afforestation, he added that the Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Promotion Programme might be a tool where people can be tagged for their livelihood.
He stated that the sand which is mined in Meghalaya is not used much locally but it is exported even outside the state.
“Can we afford to continue at the cost of the environment,” he stated.
Earlier, the Khasi Students’ Union – South West Khasi Hills District (KSU-SWKHD) had asked the State government to challenge the order of the National Green Tribunal banning sand mining activities in the State since its affecting the livelihood of the people.