THERE is no end to the attempts by the MUA-2 Government to wave the banner of tradition for gettinga waiver on the ban on coal mining by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Now the Government
wants to use Para (12)A (b) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution which says that tribal areas cannot be governed by central laws, to overrule the NGT ban on coal mining. Granted that the sudden ban on
mining of coal has resulted in revenue loss to the State Government amounting to approximately Rs 600 crore this fiscal but the NGT has taken a call after a careful deliberation of the issue and after taking into
account the environmental devastation that coal mining has caused for several decades. These include rapid deforestation, poisoning of rivers through Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and abandoned mines that
could have tragic consequences and disasters. Mine owners have shown utter lack of concern for the environment. To use the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to argue that the traditional rat hole mining with
all its degrading effects on the environment and total callousness towards the life of miners, be resumed is unacceptable from the environment and the human rights points of view. Money is not everything. Till date the impact of the coal ban on livelihoods has not been studied. Before making claims about impoverishment of the population dependent on coal mining activities some evidence-based research is imperative. The Minerals and Mining Act that has been enacted by the legislature is curiously not being implemented for reasons best known to the legislators and none of them is questioning why the Act is hanging fire. On the issue of coal mining it appears that there is a sort of ‘honour among thieves.’ The Opposition seems to go along with the Government on seeking exemption of the NGT ban by using the ruse of tradition. Not a
single legislator is standing up for the environment. Each one is thinking of the immediate direct and indirect returns from coal mining since this business has funded several elections in the past. Besides with the
tightening of belt by the Centre vide the meagre allocations in the 14Th Finance Commission, Meghalaya will have a rough time tiding over the financial crunch that looms large over the State.
