The media and civil society have been maintaining that illegal coal mining is an ongoing activity in Meghalaya. Only coal mine owners, politicians, police and those in the Government have been denying this. In fact the attack on the two activists Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma is precisely because they were trying to uncover this scam. Now the two are vindicated. So is the media which has been consistently reporting on the matter. It is unfortunate that 13 deaths had to occur before the truth about illegal coal mining is unraveled. Now it is left to the National Green Tribunal to take this issue up in right earnest. The Government has not yet spoken on the matter. Will the relative of the deceased be paid compensation? Have the mine owners taken out an insurance in the names of the miners? Are the State Labour laws followed in this and other cases? Is this not a case of gross abuse of human rights? In fact this is also a fit case to be taken up by the State Human Rights Commission.
What remains an enigma is the reluctance of successive state governments to come up with a comprehensive mining policy so that the ban is lifted and coal is mined scientifically and with all environmental safeguards in place. It has been stated times without number that three major rivers of Jaintia Hills are so toxic with acid mine drainage that they no longer support riverine life. Also the areas around the mines are severely degraded. Who is going to compensate the farmers who rely heavily on the fertility of the soil and the river waters for their farming activities? This will take a heavy toll on their livelihoods and will push them to migrate to already crowded urban hubs. A long term vision plan is required at this juncture but that will happen only when the Government is pushed to the wall. As of now political parties are all deeply invested in coal mining directly or indirectly and are unwilling to disturb the status quo. Since many of the mine owners are themselves part of the present Government only a strong directive from the Supreme Court, where the case for reopening for mines is pending, will see some traction from the part of the Government.
In Meghalaya the lives of some people are dispensable. Otherwise the owners of that particular mine should have been arrested. That the police registered a case against unknown persons is a farce. How long does it take to investigate who the mine belongs to? Clearly the cops in East Jaintia Hills are hugely compromised and operate by their own rules