SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has said the ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal on unregulated mining in the state has adversely affected the livelihoods of about 5000 miners.
Addressing the gathering on Independence Day celebrations in Polo on Tuesday, Sangma said, apart from the miners, the NGT ban has affected thousands more who were directly or indirectly dependent on coal mining activities.
The chief minister said the state government was duly seized of the problems faced by the people and efforts were being made to open up channels for other livelihood opportunities which were sustainable and economically viable to ameliorate the condition of those who were hardest hit by the ban.
Sangma said in pursuance to the resolution passed by the state assembly, a proposal was submitted by the state government requesting the central government to issue a notification on utmost priority invoking paragraph 12(A) (b) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the effect that the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 shall not be applicable to the areas in the state falling within the purview of the Sixth Schedule so that coal mining can resume.
“Further, in order to facilitate expeditious approval and clearances and keeping in view the relatively small size of the coal deposits, a proposal for certain amendments in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 was also submitted to the government of India,” he said.
