SHILLONG, May 20: The KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne on Friday urged Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to amend the Meghalaya Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016, to ease the difficulties faced by the people earning their livelihood by engaging in traditional mining or extraction of minor minerals.
In a letter to the chief minister on behalf of the council’s Executive Committee, Chyne said the general public and the local authorities such as Dorbar Shnong and VEC that implement various developmental schemes are facing hardships in getting sand, stone and other minor minerals due to the stringent provisions of the 2016 Rules.
“The individuals applying for mining and quarrying permit are facing difficulties as the authority concerned does not recognise the land documents issued by the traditional institutions such as the Dorbar Kur, Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima to prove the ownership of their land.
The authority concerned also asks for the registered deed before the sub-registrar, which is very expensive,” he said.
Chyne suggested the addition of a sub-rule for excavation of earth, clay, sand or masonry stones by manual mining from sources in villages for personal use or community work.
He also said extraction or mining of earth, clay, sand or masonry stones for community work such as de-silting of village ponds or tanks, construction of village roads, ponds and bunds undertaken in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment and Guarantee Scheme and other government-sponsored schemes should be added.
