By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 22: Curbs on sand mining in the state is taking a toll on the livelihoods of locals who are primarily depending on this activity to earn a living.
Several members of the Assembly on Thursday made a clarion call for a solution to help the thousands of families across the state that depend on small scale sand and stone mining for their livelihood.
VPP MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, while moving a motion on problems faced by the local small-scale sand and stone miners in the state, said they are receiving orders from the Forest department declaring their occupation as illegal.
He told the House that the locals follow the traditional method of mining, but the ban is forcing them to leave this occupation.
According to him, a large number of people in Nongkrem, Mylliem and Pynursla constituencies depend on sand and stone mining for their livelihood.
Participating in this motion, Leader of the Opposition, Ronnie V Lyngdoh said that the land belong to the people and what is beneath it, too.
“Environment has to be safeguarded but also livelihood,” he asserted.
He urged the government to strike a balance between preserving the environment and ensuring that the people’s livelihood is not affected.
Taking part in the discussion, UDP MLA Renikton L Tongkhar asked the government to explore the possibility of regularising the traditional practice of sand and stone mining used by locals before statehood.
UDP MLA from Shella, Balajied Synrem brought to the House’s attention that when quarrying of sand and stone is stopped, prices go up and it affects the public at large.
He asked the government to come up with a regulation allowing mining with a certain limit.
VPP MLA from Mawryngkneng, Heaving Stone Kharpran emphasised on balance between environment and livelihood.
Acknowledging that the extraction of sand and stone poses a threat to the environment, he said it is imperative to find a way forward. He asked the government to adopt comprehensive policies that will work as a balancing act between safeguarding the environment and not affecting the livelihood.
UDP MLA from Amlarem, Lahkmen Rymbui said with the intervention of the Chief Minister, the Centre should relax the rule for harvesting of sand and stones locally. He impressed upon the chief minister to use the conditions so that harvesting can also be done commercially, while pointing out that steps to acquire the mining lease are very difficult.
He added that most of the rivers flow to Bangladesh or Assam and the sand gets washed away.
Rymbui said the problem is not just about livelihood of those involved in its extraction but also the government to procure sand to construct buildings.
He said Rs 27,000 crore of the budget, which is more than 50 per cent of the entire budget, is earmarked for constructions. These will stop if rules are not simplified, he said.
‘Not everything banned’
Responding to these queries, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma acknowledged their concerns.
He, however, clarified that this idea that everything has been stopped at present is not correct.
The government has asked people to follow a procedure and apply for different permissions, he said. People are required to submit the mining plan, the environmental clearance, and the pollution clearance. “For anybody who applies, the processes are followed and the applications are assessed and the permissions are given. There should not be any confusion on whether we have stopped sand mining or we have banned everything,” the CM said.
Sangma further clarified that the procedure has been put in place in view of the different notifications issued by the Government of India and different court rulings from the High Court and Supreme Court.
“What needs to be done is to make it easier for people to get the permit and give the training to the people on how to do it. There is a way and it can be done, but the problem is that some of our miners are not economically that well. So, they face challenges in terms of being able to come to the office or be able to apply online,” he said.
The CM also clarified that there is no question of diluting the ownership of the land or the provisions of the Sixth Schedule since these will remain.
Admitting the need to streamline the process, he assured that he will personally go into this aspect of applications and figure out how technology can be put to use to allow applications to be done at the grassroots level and ensure that the miners are able to operate.