SHILLONG, July 7: Taking in consideration the plight of small-time miners, the Executive Committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided to move the state government seeking exemption for the small-time miners from obtaining mining lease for sand and stone quarrying.
“We would impress upon the state government that small time miners who own a mining of areas of only one hectare or 1,000 sq ft should be exempted from requiring to obtain the mining lease,” KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Titosstarwell Chyne said while replying to a motion moved by Congress MDC from Mylliem, Ronnie V Lyngdoh on the ban of sand and stone quarrying during the summer session of the Council on Thursday.
The CEM said that the he had written a letter to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on May 19 on the need to amend the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016.
According to him, the small-time miners are badly affected due to the stringent provisions under the Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016.
“I know it is important to protect and preserve the environment. At the same time, we cannot compromise with the livelihood of the people,” the Council CEM said.
The state government on June 27 had decided to amend the Meghalaya Minor Mineral Concession Rules 2016 to facilitate sand mining. “Earlier, the permissions for sand mining were not given. But by this amendment, the process of legally giving mining leases to individuals to mine in the river beds will be granted,” Chyne said.
He said that the government should allow sand and stone quarrying for small-time miners who are following the traditional method outside the river beds.
Earlier, Ronnie V Lyngdoh, while moving the motion, said that people from Khasi and Jaintia Hills who are dependent on sand and stone quarrying to earn a living have been severely affected due to the ban by the state government.
Due to lack of financial resources, small-time miners have not been able to meet the criteria laid down in MMCR 2016, he said.
He emphasised that the government needs to relax the provisions by amending the MMCR 2016 since only people with the requisite financial resources and who owned large mining areas can avail the mining lease.
“It is really unfortunate that many are suffering due to this ban. We need to strike a balance to ensure that the people’s livelihoods are not taken away and at the same time the environment is protected,” Congress MDC from Mylliem said, adding that the implementation of the schemes under the MGNREGA is affected due to non-availability of the construction materials owing to the ban.
“Even the implementation of major government projects are affected by this,” Lyngdoh added.
