By Lawrence Pherliam Sumer
Your article “Political Voice for personal gain” (ST July 11, 2014) proves to be an interesting read. It is a well known fact that our present MP possesses business interest in coal mining, not to forget the other state legislators including the Chief Minister’s wife with four coal mines to her name. Not long before the NGT ban on coal mining in the state we witnessed strong opposition within the Congress party over the re-nomination of Mr. Vincent Pala from Shillong seat by the bosses in Delhi and the most vehement of them all was none other than the CM himself. But then all those differences seem to have been buried after the NGT ban since both the political heavyweights have vested interests in coal mining, one directly involved and the other through a spouse. For five long years as a first time MP, Vincent Pala has not been able to voice anything substantial as far as the plight of our state is concerned but suddenly now that his pocket is disturbed he has found something to fight about. Well, how about airing his views on the illegal migration or the rampant influx of Bangladeshi people from across the border or the lack of connectivity by air and rail to the state and how about seeking grants from the Center to tap the huge unused hydro-electrical potential of 3000MW capacity, more so when we are faced with constant power outage at the moment. Since the present MP is from Jaintia Hills and showing much concern for the affected few as to even try to pass two bills in Parliament to reverse the NGT decision, it is time we ask him some hard questions.
Coming to the CM himself, soon after the NGT’s interim order back in May this year, on being asked to comment on it, he shied away saying “I will not reply to that question at this juncture because of historical reasons.” Mr. CM what historical reasons are you talking about? Historically speaking coal mining in the state was introduced by the British in the late 19th century to heat their houses and without any interest whatsoever for the locals. To put the record straight coal mining was never a customary practice but a practice introduced by the British to the indigenous people of the State. Some general misconceptions were doing the rounds that since Meghalaya is a Sixth Schedule State, therefore this autonomy gives freedom to the people to mine whatever they wish. Well, Para. 9 of the Sixth Schedule explicitly mentions the need for lease, licenses or leases for the purpose of prospecting for, or extraction of minerals. The land ownership pattern is only for surface rights and not what is beneath the earth (minerals). All mining laws are applicable to Meghalaya and should be if we have to counter the “elite few” who are in power whose sole interest is to fill their own barns.
What about the safety and health of workers? The present MP and a whole lot of spineless cabinet ministers of the State are fighting the NGT ban by giving lame excuses about the impact it has had on the common man. But what about those labourers who were killed on site because of the absence of safety norms and standards in operations? Did they mourn over those deaths? Now, when all mining laws are applicable to Meghalaya, shouldn’t all mining labour laws (mines act, 1952) regarding safety and health of workers also apply in this case? But I guess, since the main decision of the NGT was based on the petition filed by the Assam based All Dimasa Students’ Union and Dimasa Hasao District Committee we need to understand the logic behind this decision. Since, as earlier pointed out that Meghalaya does come under the Law of the land, therefore certain laws do apply in this case viz. Coal Mines Nationalization Act, 1973; Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957; Mines Act, 1952; Forest Conservation Act, 1980; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and it does not take a rocket scientist to tell us that rat hole mining in our state had violated the last Act as mentioned here and which in fact the petitioners had rightly moved the court since this illegal mining has polluted the river Kopili by turning its water acidic. That is not to say we have not violated the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 when forest areas were being cleared for illegal mining. Therefore when we have clearly violated not just one but two laws of the land what is all the fuss of “denying employment to the common man?” If we are so concerned about the common labourer, shouldn’t we show concern to those people who are depending on river Kopili for their daily livelihood as well? Or does this lack of concern stem from the fact that since our own people from our beloved state are not affected therefore we hardly care. Even then, aren’t majority of those labourers who were forced to abandon or sell their children as Pala claimed, migrants as well? Let us be bold enough to state that a ban on rat-hole mining is actually affecting the political bigwigs like Pala!
Lest we get carried away by the lofty arguments of the MP, we can safely say that such ancient mining practices do affect the indigenous population as well, besides the river Kopili. Look around the beautiful landscape of Jaintia Hills; it is not what it used to be many years ago. The greenery has long gone and worse still whatever mining has been going on for the last decade or so has not benefitted the local populace much, except earning a livelihood as the MP puts it. Let us not forget that even though Jaintia Hills accounts for only 7% Coal deposits in the State yet its production of the mineral is a mind boggling at 64% leaving Garo Hills with the most coal deposits a distant second at 10%. Few weeks back, I saw a Local News Network highlighting an NGO from Jaintia Hills demanding a second Government College in the District to meet the demands of extra students. Well, this demand itself is genuine, but what is amusing is the fact that with so much revenue being raked through coal mining in the district, where is all the money banked? Can’t such a mineral rich district come up with one State of the art Private College of its own? Does it still have to depend on the Government to educate its own children? And we all know the quality of Government run institutions. Is it any wonder that in spite of so many wealthy business czars of Jaintia Hills, it is still one of the most backward districts in the State with no development to showcase except the much celebrated Behdeinkhlam festival being celebrated with much fervour year after year?
So, when our MP fights so passionately against the ban on rat-hole mining, does he also have the guts to give detailed accounts on the social responsibility that these coal mining business houses have contributed so far, apart from “livelihoods” which looks like the only vocabulary he can use. Simply put, local business entities have a duty to the communities in which they operate that goes beyond the duty to obey the law in the conduct of their operations. In the case of Coal barons in our state they failed on two counts. Firstly they do not obey the law and secondly they care less about social responsibility. So why allow such businesses to thrive when they cannot deliver on any front? Lately, there is also a hue and cry among the business community in Shillong about how their business is being affected because of this blanket thrown by the NGT. Rubbish! This is a myth spread by the Coal mining mafia at large, but even if it is so, I say so be it if such practices do not benefit the people of the state in general but only fill the pockets of the “powerful few.”
In his article “Banning black gold business – boon or bane?” (ST June 12,2014) Mr Edelbert rightly mentioned how the NGT ban must be seen as a blessing in disguise since it has exposed the underbelly of the heartless capitalism which has destroyed Jaintia Hills’ beauty and landscape. Reiterating the reply from the CM that the state was benefitting from coal mining in terms of royalty and taxation, but so what? Does that mean he can overlook the various violations resulting in environmental damage to rivers, forests and human rights which can have adverse effect in the years to come than the “now” revenue generation opportunity for the government? Has he visited the district and assessed the extent of damage caused by such malpractices? I suggest he visit Lukha river and see the state it is in. Sohkymphor is another classic case of the adverse effect of such mining and one cannot miss the surface cracks that are so glaring and not to mention the acidic water not fit for consumption for the local people. Who can forget Cherrapunjee, once famous for its heavy rainfall but this abuse has reduced the region to a barren landscape!. The region is now pockmarked by abandoned rat-hole coal mines and barren hills.