SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma informed the State Assembly on Monday that coal mining will be brought under the fold of regulatory regime in the long run.
In reply to questions raised in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said that on the request of the State Government, the Ministry of Coal had constituted an Expert Group led by the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited to prepare guidelines for the mining of coal in Meghalaya. The Directorate of Mines Safety (DGMS) has been to prepare guidelines regarding health and occupational safety and other related issues, he said.
“Since the State Government does not have any competent technical personnel, the assistance of the Expert Group constituted by the Ministry will be essential to prepare guidelines for facilitating systematic, scientific and planned utilization of mineral resources and bringing coal mining within the fold of regulatory regime,” the Chief Minister said.
He also said that invoking of Para 12A (b) of the Sixth Schedule is necessary so that application of Central laws related to mining can be rescinded through Presidential notification. “Thereafter, the State legislature shall make appropriate legislation to regulate mining in the State as per the Meghalaya Mines and Minerals Policy, 2012”, he said.
Earlier, Nongthymmai legislator Jemino Mawthoh while raising a question observed that the NGT ban on coal mining is the fall out of the delay on the part of the State Government towards the implementation of the mining policy in the State.
“The NGT would not have imposed ban if the State Government had implemented Mines and Mineral Policy, 2012,” Mawthoh said during the Question Hour in the Assembly.
In reply, Chief Minister said that there are a number of laws which are specific to coal and the main central laws which come into direct conflict in the process of implementation of the policy are the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation Act, 1957 and also the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973.
While replying to another question raised by Shillong West legislator Paul Lyngdoh, he said Meghalaya has incurred a revenue loss of Rs. 600 crore, during 2014-15, due to ban on coal mining by NGT.
