By HH Mohrmen
These days it is difficult to know but even if one tries to do a wild guess one will find it difficult to know the government’s stand vis-à-vis the issue of mining in the State. One may ask, what view does the government have on the NGT ban in particular and to mining in general? It is true that the NGT ban on coal mining has hit the government treasury hard, but it does not help to not have a clear stand on the issue. In fact it has bewildered the people of the State to see that the government does not have a clear position on this very important issue.
For the moment the Government’s stand on the issue of mining and the NGT ban is becoming like a pendulum in the old grandfather’s clock that swings (with due apology to the Chief Minister) with the Chief Minister’s mood. This budget session will also remembered in the history for it was in this budget session that the true Mukul Sangma is exposed to the people of the State. The otherwise stoic Mukul Sangma who is in control of his emotion and temper was seen weeping and vociferously castigating the media in the house. This only proves, and hopefully, also makes Dr Sangma realize that he is a human like any of us and he has emotions too.
In his statement against the fourth estate we saw the angry Mukul Sangma finding fault with the press and blaming the media for giving too much publicity to the terrorist groups. Dr Sangma’s outburst at the media is unnecessary; it is a classic case of making a mountain out of a molehill which can only do more harm than good to the government. Hopefully the media and the Chief Minister will kiss and makeup sooner than later, but it is also important to note that both these incidents give us a clear idea that the person – Mukul Sangma is troubled inside and is not at ease with the state of affairs in Meghalaya.
One of the possible reasons that is giving Dr Sangma a troubled mind and a troubled heart is the NGT ban on coal mining which hangs like a Damocles sword around his neck. The ban could also affect the government in the long run and the future prospects of the Congress in the state. It has hit the government’s treasury hard but sad to say that even after the lapse of one year the Chief Minister (who is otherwise always quick with ideas) has, till date failed to come up with a solution to get the State out of this predicament. The government is seen flip-flopping with the issue and it is yet to come up with a concrete solution which hopefully would be able to convince the NGT to allow mining of coal in the Meghalaya once again.
Earlier on the government under the leadership of Dr Mukul Sangma stated that the Government is ready to implement the Meghalaya Mines and Minerals act which has been place in the backburner for many years. In fact this is what the NGT was expecting from the Government. It has all along anticipated that the Government comes up with policy to regulate and monitor mining in the state. Trying to come up with a Mineral and Mining policy of its own is a positive approach to solving the issue which also confirms that the Government is ready to regulate and monitor the unscientific rat hole mining practice in Meghalaya. This is an optimistic and forward looking move which should be welcomed by all stake holders, but the citizens are confused when they read of the Government’s stand on this issue in the Governor’s address on the 2015 budget session of the Meghalaya state Assembly. The Governor’s address has only shown that Government has down a volte-face on the issue from its previous stand.
In the Governor’s address the Government indicated that was going to appeal to the Central Government to use Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of any national acts and regulations. This is a dangerous proposition that the government is asking and it could do more harm than good to the environment in particular and the State in general. What will really happen if all the acts and regulation adopted by the Parliament do not apply in the State? Then the Forest Act would not apply, mining regulations will not be valid in the state and a host of other important laws and regulations too. So what will that leave us with? A State with no rules and regulation and a free for all environment where we can do whatever we like.
For information of all of the readers, Meghalaya before the NGT ban is a classic case of what happened to the State in the absence of any laws to regulate or govern mining activities. Mining in Meghalaya prior to the NGT ban was a free for all, – anybody could do whatever they liked and no laws were applicable with regards to mining. This is exactly the mindset of those who are involved in mining before NGT intervened. Their take is that neither national mining laws nor environment and forest protection acts are applicable in the area since the state has its unique land holding system and that mining is a traditional business activity of the tribals since time immemorial. And since the State too is not having any rules or regulations on mining it has become a laissez faire activity.
Look at what has happened to the mining areas and villages down streams of rivers which flows from mining areas even without invoking Para 12 A (b). Can we therefore even imagine what will happen if Para 12 A (b) is invoked? In the pre NGT ban period it was a systematic destruction of the environment by the miners which is illegal. Now if the State is allowed to invoke Para 12 A (b) then there will be open destruction of the environment guaranteed by the law, as there will be no law or regulation to regulate and monitor mining in the state. Do we even want to imagine the magnitude of destruction that mining will do when; (hypothetically) Para 12 A (b) is invoked in the State? In fact we should thank the NGT ban that we have some semblance of regulation on coal mining in the state. If the State permits, mine owner would want to do away with all laws that regulate mining which is why there is violation of NGT ban on transporting and mining on a daily basis.
The question is whether the Government wants to regulate mining or not. If it continues to insist on invoking Para 12 A (b), then it is obvious MUA II government is not in favour of sustainable mining and people should turn their deaf ears to Dr Sangma when he makes his rhetoric about making Meghalaya a tourist destination, organic farming, clean and green Meghalaya and his Integrated Basin Development Program. All the above programs don’t gel with mining. They are like chalk and cheese; they don’t go together. If Dr Sangma insists on invoking Para 12 A (b) then it also shows that the Government has no vision. If at all the government has a vision it is not forward looking but one that will take us back to the forty years history of free for all mining in the State. Dr Sangma and his Government must therefore make a conscious decision and decide on plan and policies that will take the state towards sustainable development.