SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP), while welcoming the decision of the National Green Tribunal on the excavated coal, which is in line with the Party’s stand on the issue, suggested that the Tribunal examine the actual cause of environmental degradation before calling a total ban on rat hole mining.
“In this instant case, it is the improper stocking of excavated coal, the absence of mine closure plans and lack of effective Acid Drainage Intervention- a result of unplanned, unregulated mining, which has been detrimental to the environment,” UDP general secretary Allantry F Dkhar said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.
He added that there is a need to account for environmental restoration of disbanded coal mines, as prescribed in the Mine Closure Plan of the Meghalaya Mineral Policy, as an option to be considered.
Dkhar said that the recent ban has had adverse effects on the livelihood of, even those people who are not directly dependent on this business.
“Measures that would address the provision of alternate livelihood for those affected should be seriously looked into, thereby enabling mining to continue simultaneously with mandatory interventions that would address/minimise environmental concerns, leading to mining in an environmentally friendly manner,” the general secretary said.