Limestone exporters questions Govt over lease delay

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Minerals Exporters Chamber of Commerce (MMECC) has reiterated that the State Government should grant mining lease for exporting limestone to Bangladesh.
Speaking to media persons here on Friday, MMECC president Stodar Dkhar asked Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to immediately approve the applications for mining lease submitted by the exporters.
He said mine owners and exporters have prepared plans based on the direction of the State Government as per the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, which directed all mine owners to apply for mining lease.
“However we want to know the reason for the delay to grant mining lease even after such compliance was made,” Dkhar said and added that this unnecessary delay has affected the livelihood of many people.
About 40-50 lakh metric tonne of extracted and assessed limestone is lying in different depots, he claimed.