SHILLONG: The State Planning Board has directed the concerned departments to go slow as far as implementing various guidelines for the people, who are operating sawmills and stone crushers in the state.
Talking to media persons after a marathon meeting with various departments, Planning Board chairman, Lambor Malngiang said that the state had already suffered due the ban on coal mining
In the meeting, Forest and Mining and Geology departments came up with action plan to put a halt on all the activities of sawmills and stone crushers. However the Commission directed the departments to go slow and work out a better way to address all the concern of the people
Asserting that people now have to run from pillar to post for mining plan to obtain necessary permission for any mining activities, he said that the Board has asked them to complete all the paper works of the stakeholders for obtaining necessary permission within 45 days.
“We have asked them to calm down on enforcing rules and regulations and it should not be a burden on local people,” he said.
He also said that sawmills should be allowed to function as the timbers in the mills were produced for consumption in the state itself and not for export.
When asked about the ban on cutting of timber by the Supreme Court in the entire country, Malngiang said that the living conditions of the local people should be understood and ban after another ban on mining activities have affected the livelihood of the people
“ I am not saying we will break the rules, but they have to accept the reality here. These are meant for local consumption and we are trying to work out things in a different way as a special consideration for the sawmills to operate in the state,” he added.
It may be mentioned that seven sawmills in Garo Hills have obtained lease for operation of the mills while others are yet to obtain it.