SHILLONG: The economy of the State was hit hard even in 2016 as the ban on rat-hole coal mining continued coupled with the State Government’s restriction on the sale of liquor.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is yet to give its final verdict on matters related to lifting the ban on rat-hole mining despite the Government making its varied submissions.
The State Government had also approached the Centre over invoking certain provisions in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of the national mining laws.
The revenue loss calculated after the NGT in an interim order on April 17, 2014, imposed a ban on rat-hole mining is roughly over Rs 1,500 crore.
Meghalaya was already affected by the ban on limestone by the High Court which, however, was lifted though miners had to submit a mining plan in consultation with the State Government.
The closing down of liquor shops in the State from April 1, 2016, after the High Court of Meghalaya upheld an amended order of the Excise Department has also affected the revenue of the State.
The most affected was the restaurants of Police Bazar, the commercial hub frequented by tourists and others alike.
The annual revenue generated by the State from Excise duty is over Rs150 crore, but the ban on liquor sale reduced the revenue to half in 2016.
The amended Rule 183 of the Meghalaya Excise Rules notified on September 23, 2015, which took effect from April 2016, ensured the closure of all liquor shops located within 200 m of places of worship, educational institutions and hospitals.
The order had also restricted setting up of liquor shops within 50 m of the mid-point of national and state highways within the city and town limits, and 100 m from the mid-point of national and state highways on the outskirts.
While there was not much criticism over the closure of liquor shops along the national and state highways, there was ambiguity in the restriction on the distance between liquor shops, educational institutions, hospitals and places of worship in city.
Though there was a move on the part of the State Government to review the amended Excise rule, the cabinet is yet to take any decision.
Excise Minister Zenith Sangma had in the past said there were concerns over the order as Shillong being a hilly region it is illogical to put restrictions on distances between educational institutions, religious places and hospitals with liquor stores.
He had also said there would always be a question of which one came first, whether a liquor store, an educational institution or a place of worship.
