SHILLONG, Sep 29: Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) MDC and NPP leader, Phasmon Dkhar, has attributed the resumption of coal mining activities in Meghalaya to the efforts of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
The statement from the NPP leader comes days after the Union Coal Ministry granted mining licences for three coal blocks in Meghalaya.
Lauding the chief minister, Dkhar said that Conrad, after assuming the post of the chief minister, started working towards the resumption of coal mining in state.
He argued that while the UDP leaders are busy heaping praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi following Centre’s recent announcement, it is Conrad Sangma who deserves the credit.
Casting aspersions on Congress, Dkhar alleged that the Grand Old Party, despite remaining in power for years, did nothing to ensure resumption of coal-mining activities in Meghalaya. “If the Congress was ruling the state today, nothing would have been done to resume coal mining,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the Union Coal Ministry last week granted the mining licenses and allocated the coal blocks in East Jaintia Hills to Thomas Nongtdu and Nehlang Lyngdoh, both coal barons. According to the approved mining plan, the mining operations in the three blocks will start in 2022.