SHILLONG: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in an interim order has stayed rat hole mining in Jaintia Hills.
The order was passed on an application filed by All Dimasa Students’ Union, Dima Hasao District Committee against the State of Meghalaya.
The petitioners contended in the original application no 73/2014; M.A.No.174/2014 that the water bodies which are sources of water for human consumption and other related activities were severely contaminated in the downstream areas of Assam due to acid mine discharge from the mining areas in Jaintia Hills located in the upstream.
The people in Dima Hasao areas have been exposed to poisonous water which is threatening their lives and livelihood, the petitioners contended.
Meanwhile, some environmentalists observe that the order is definitely a defining judgment which shall go a long way in tackling the menace even as they feel that it is also time for miners to introspect and come forward to undertake scientific mining preceded by rehabilitation of worked over mines.
“Such mining has denigrated not only downstream areas but also water bodies, agricultural fields etc in the mining areas and Meghalaya Government cannot remain a silent spectator and will in all probability be directed to implement the stay order,” experts said adding that time has come to execute the Mining Policy.