SHILLONG: The state government should focus more on evolving the much awaited mining policy which is scientific and environment friendly and submit the same to the Supreme Court before the next date of hearing.
This suggestion was made by Madal Sumer, who is pursuing coal related issues.
According to Sumer, the government should not waste time seeking exemption from MMDR Act.
He pointed out that finally, the state government has entrusted the task of study, survey, research on the coal mines to Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd to regulate and take care of the mining activities and preparation of mining plan in Meghalaya.
He wanted to know whether the engagement of CMPDI which is a
subsidiary unit of Coal India Limited will help Meghalaya in addressing the coal related issues .
“The central government never has any intention or interest in lifting the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya and Coal India Ltd being a government body is not at all bothered to advise the state in this aspect”, he said.
According to Sumer, the state departments did not have any coordination in dealing with the coal related issues.
He said the coal mining in most part of Meghalaya is a subsurface kind of mining and though not done in scientific manner, it can be regulated and modified to reach the international norms or standards.
Sumer said there are readymade scientific mining plans and policies for subsurface mining which are followed by many countries in Asia, North and South America and they are all available online.
There are several online tenders on subsurface coal mining floated by various countries which have clearly indicated the terms and conditions of mining including providing insurance to mine workers, the construction of pillars, the structure of tunnels, underground mine passages and water drainage networks and others.
“Those guidelines and terms and conditions can form a part of the mining policy in the state”, he said adding subsurface mining is always a better form of mining and environmental friendly compared to open cast mining”, he said.
A third of coal production in the United States of America is from underground/subsurface mining, Sumer said.
