JOWAI: The blanket ban on coal mining in Meghalaya imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has divided the people of the State into various groups fighting against the ban in different ways as per their understanding by interpreting the NGT orders differently.
A lawyer, Erwin K Sutnga, who was the main speaker at the public meeting held at Phramer on Friday said that the NGT Act should not have a jurisdiction in Meghalaya.
According to Sutnga, Meghalaya is under the sixth schedule and the NGT Act which is against the right and interest of the people residing in an autonomous areas should not be implemented without the consent of the people through both the members of the Parliament who represented for the people of the State during the UPA II government at the centre.
Sutnga said, “The NGT Act wants to kill the people of Meghalaya who are completely dependent their livelihood from coal mining and coal mining related activities, such Act should not have any jurisdiction in our State”.
He also informed that, the ‘Steering Committee’ which will be constituted soon shortly has prepared a memorandum to the NDA Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to request him for NGT Act exemption in the state of Meghalaya.
Another speaker at the public meeting, Dr. PBM Basaiawmoit informed the people that there is no illegal Rat-hole mining in Meghalaya and coal mining is being done with scientific wisdom of the local people and has no negative impact on the environment.
“There is no illegal mining, there is no coal mafia, we own land and we own coal mines, the Mining Act has never mentioned that rat-hole mining is illegal”, he said adding that mining activities in Meghalaya is a ‘ Horizontal Under-ground Mining’.
A decision was taken to not follow any NGT directives and the demand for removal of the NGT jurisdiction from Meghalaya was against the move of the Jaintia HIlls Coal Miners and Dealers’ Association and also the State Coordination Forum against the NGT ban on coal mining.
The State Coordination Forum against NGT Ban and the Jaintia HIlls Coal Miners and Dealers Association has instructed all mines owners to fill up the prescribed form issued by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) while the public meeting held on Friday has directed all coal miners not to fill up or to submit any of the forms to the MSPCB as per the directives of the NGT.
Around 3000 peoples with large numbers of vehicle thronged Phramer LP school amongst the prominent resident, former MDC, Sawang Lamurong, Priscus Sutnga of Mookyndeng, former JHADC Chief Hambertus Nongtdu, Jalaphet MDC, Hopping Stone Bareh besides others were present at the public meeting.