By C F Lyngdoh.
The dastardly attack on Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma on the November 8 2018 at Tuber Sohshrieh while the two ladies were taking photographs of the coal bearing trucks was most reprehensible and deserves to be strongly condemned by all right thinking people. The heinous act perpetrated on the two ladies is a big blot not only on the history of coal mining in Meghalaya, in particular, but also on the state in general. Hopefully, the two ladies would fully recover to be able to contribute their experience and capability in finding a lasting solution to the thorny problem of illegal coal mining and usher in scientific and legal mining in the state for the betterment of the miners, the mine-owners, the protection of the environment, and generation of employment opportunities and improvement in revenue collection.
Surprisingly, coal mining in Meghalaya was first started in Cherrapunji (now Sohra) as a legally recognised unit under the Coal Mines Regulations before the 1930’s. The first colliery (coal mine) was opened on Mawmluh hill above the Mawmluh cave, overlooking the present MCCL Cement Factory (on the west). The mine was known as Rangsnabo Colliery (Rynsan U Buh Colliery). In later years it was inspected by Mr. Barraclough, the last British Chief Inspector of Mines (C.I.M) and subsequently by Mr G.S. Grewal the first C.I.M of Independent India and other C.I.M’s.
The management of Rangsnabo introduced modern methods of mining. They adopted the ‘Bord and Pillar’ method of coal mining which is a simple scientific method in preference to the other sophisticated methods. The best practices of coal mining were practiced for many years in Sohra and Laitryngew and were later introduced even in Bapung, Rymbai, etc in Jaintia Hills. But after the influx of cheap labour from Nepal and Bangladesh, the tradition of safe practices was thrown to the winds and ‘Bord and Pillar’ mining was replaced by ‘Rat hole mining’ which is so called because each mine operator is normally allotted only about 100 feet (31 metres) width without limit to the length that the mine operator can enter underground to extract coal. In actual fact, once the miners enter underground they divert right and left to any coal face which they find more profitable i.e. their advance is in irregular directions unlike in Bord and Pillar method where the advance is scientific and regular and as per the guidance of the surveyor.
When ‘rat hole mining’ was stopped in Meghalaya in 2014, it was probably done on the grounds that the acid mine drainage from East Jaintia Hills District has polluted the waters of Kopili river, which drive the turbines of NEEPCO, one side of the river being in East Jainita Hills and the other side being in Dima Hasao District (Assam). During a recent travel to Dima Hasao District, I happened to meet a few trucks carrying coal which I presumed to be illegally transported from East Jaintia Hills District but the local people stated that the coal is extracted in Dima Hasao District itself. This looked to be probable enough because the said two districts are contiguous geographically; and geologically also they are similar with same lithology of rocks, more or less. It would therefore be quite logical to have coal bearing strata in Dima Hasao District just like in East Jaintia Hills.
The Environmental Impact due to acid mine drainage may cover parts of the two districts. To be fair to all sides and arrive at the right conclusion, a study of acid mine drainage on the other side of the Koplili River (in Dima Hasao District) is also essential.
Coming to the present serious problems of illegal coal mining and transport in Meghalaya, the state government can resolve the problem expeditiously by adopting the one and only line of action to sort out the present imbroglio. That is to entrust to the C.M.P.D.I (Coal Mines Planning & Design Institute) the work of preparing the Mining Plan for Coal in Meghalaya. CMPDI is a subsidiary of Coal India Limited having a huge pool of technical and managerial manpower. They know best how to go about the work entrusted to them. What the state government is going to do in this direction will be eagerly observed by the public.
Already over 4 years have elapsed since coal mining in Meghalaya was banned for lack of approved Mining Plan. The economic well being of the people who used to depend on coal for their livelihood was shattered and revenue collection of the state was severely reduced. In the meantime desperate mine owners have resorted to un-ethical practices to somehow produce coal and manage to transport it clandestinely through the control check gates, the weighbridges and all the way to the market destination. No wonder, for some people the present clandestine business in production and transport of coal illegally has created the proverbial ‘goose which lays golden eggs,’ but it has also created an atmosphere of lawlessness where corruption is rife and violence is part of the strategy to ensure that the immediate goals are attained.
Many people are asking what will happen when the Mining Plan for coal mining is eventually approved and coal mining is allowed to resume. In such a welcome scenario, the people who own land in the coal block areas which are identified for mining will have to reconcile to new conditions which they did not face earlier. They have to abide by the Coal Mines Regulations which entail Systematic development and production of coal, strict observation of safety provisions to prevent mine accidents which may be fatal or just cause serious bodily injury. Also the Mining Plan prepared by CMPDI would definitely incorporate a complete chapter of Environmental Impact Assessment due to coal mining in the block and more importantly the Environment Management Plan which should be adopted by the Mine Management. Legal coal mining therefore involves heavy financial investment. Moreover, according to the Coal Mines National policy, in the case of most states in the country, large coal blocks are being auctioned to industrialists or business organisation; this policy would not be applicable in Meghalaya where land is owned by individuals, not by the government.
The only alternative for coal mining in Meghalaya is by government undertakings like Meghalaya Minerals Development Corporation (MMDC). This means that MMDC will have to take the initiative to contact the individuals who have ownership over a particular coal block which has been identified for opening under the approved Mining Plan. If there are several individuals who have a stake in the coal block by reason of land ownership, pre-estimation of the coal reserves may be determined by MMDC through its geologists and mine surveyor (CMPDI may assist in this). The coal reserves within the plot of each land owner can therefore be recorded and they may be told that the assets and liabilities shall be distributed proportionally among the stake holders. This is only a simple principle proposed but the details will have to be worked out meticulously by the parties. The parties concerned may also have better ideas which may also be considered and agreed by the parties mutually.
With the National Green Tribunal taking keen interest to ensure sustainable mining development in Meghalaya the stake holders should see reason and come to a fair deal so that the exploitation of natural wealth in coal should not result in environmental disaster but rather a better and greener tomorrow for the generations to come.