SHILLONG: The Additional Director General of North East region, Geological Survey of India, Mulkh Raj Jarngal has informed that GSI is keen to declare Mawmluh caves as Geo heritage site where the cave rock formation has defined Meghalayan age.
“We are in touch with the state government on the matter,” he said while informing that the once the place is declared Geo heritage site, it has to be maintained and developed by the state government.
Talking to media persons in Shillong on Wednesday, he informed that a total reserve of 1642.64 million tons of coal have been estimated from Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
He said that in Garo Hills region was estimated to have around 576.48 million tons of coal reserves where the GSI has conducted drilling
Giving its view on the rat hole mining in the state which was prevalent till the time NGT prohibited it, he said that mining should be done properly which will improve the economy of the state.
In addition, presence of about 38000 tons of Sillimanite is indicated within an area of about 0.66 sq km.in Niangbrakgithim area near Mansang in West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills. According to the GSI official, mineral and resources worth Rs 10,53,400 crore have been identified in the North Eastern region.
Stating that as far as Bauxite is concerned, a total reserve of 5.88 million tons have been estimated from Meghalaya in West Khasi Hills, he informed that they are awaiting necessary permissions from the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council to take necessary action
The GSI this year has 18 regular field projects in Meghalaya and in the Financial year 2019-20, they would have eight of those projects in the state.
It was also informed that cities like Shillong, Guwahati, Itanagar ,Kohima, have been covered under seismic microzonation.
He said that when earth cutting takes place for various developmental projects, it is bound to make de-stabilise the slops and as a result, landslides have taken place in Meghalaya and in other states of the region.
The department has also classified different cities of the region into different zones as far as susceptibility to earthquake is concerned and the data is shared with the respective state governments even as he maintained that Nagaland is more susceptible than Shillong as far as earthquake is concerned since rocks in Shillong are more stable. In addition, GSI is also putting up GIS stations to monitor plate movements.