SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Tuesday that the previous government mishandled the coal issue resulting in the current chaotic situation.
Prestone told reporters that the NGT in 2014 wanted the state government to take care of the issues of safety and protection of environment.
“The government mishandled it. That time, former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma was looking after the Mining and Geology department. The government took it lightly. The direction of NGT to the Mining and Geology department was to take care of the environment and come back to the Tribunal after one or two months, but it was not followed up resulting in the unpleasant incidents”, Tynsong said.
He said Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and others had met the central ministers to address the issue of ban on coal mining.
Condemning the incident of assault on Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma, Tynsong said the police and the magistrates tried their best to check illegal mining and transportation of coal.
Tynsong hoped that the Centre will exempt Meghalaya from the purview of central mining laws so that mining can be carried out with all safeguards.
HLC meet this month
Tynsong said the high level committee on Harijan Colony issue will be held sometime in November.
“We held not less than five meetings. Very soon we will meet again. We will come to a conclusion after the meeting”, he said.
Festivals
The deputy chief minister said the government should not involve in organising festivals like Cherry Blossom and instead it should be entrusted to private groups.
“I am not against festivals. I welcome them. But the pattern of government organising the festivals should change”, he said, adding that the government should not be busy with festivals.
