There’s something to be said about governance. It requires experience and maturity and has to be on top of things. In this aspect the NPP-led led MDA Government’s flip-flop stance on illegal mining of coal is reminiscent of Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To be or not to be.” Is there or is there not illegal coal mining in Meghalaya? Who is allowing it to happen? Did the Government know or not know about this? If it did know, then what were the actions taken to prevent this illegality and trampling of the rule of law? A Government led by a young chief minister raised many hopes and aspirations that governance would take a new shape and that the venality and impunity that existed in the previous dispensations would give way to transparency and accountability. But this is not to be. The main accused in the Agnes-Amita assault case is still absconding. And now as if to nail the lie on the openly conducted illegal mining of coal, over 13 (some claim there were as many as 17) miners have been trapped inside a flooded mine since Thursday last and all attempts to rescue them have failed so far. The State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) is at its wits end. Now the Chief Minister is seeking the assistance of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF). The narrative of a miner who just managed to escape the calamitous incident through the skin of his teeth shows the desperation of those who choose this risk-laden occupation.
The question now is who will be held accountable for this major catastrophe which should have attracted national and international attention and should have made the State and National Human Rights Commissions take suo-moto action. Someone has got to pay for this abominable crime fuelled by greed and which uses bonded labourers held captive by stark poverty, and, who are no better than modern day slaves. The standard argument peddled by the mine owners that this is a livelihood for many is despicable. No livelihood can be promoted at the cost of the environment and by flouting all laws and ignoring the human rights of labourers. The claim that relies on rat hole mining as the only option because it was a traditional practice has no legal basis. If we go by that logic then mine owners should not be using modern gadgets at home and should also not be living in plush modern buildings.
When will the Government of Meghalaya come up with a robust mining policy which will see the end of all this illegality?