Meghalaya’s 100-hectare threshold for scientific mining is a bottleneck for small miners
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 13: Former environmental regulator Naba Bhattacharjee has admitted that Meghalaya’s 100-hectare threshold for “scientific mining” is a bottleneck for small miners, but warned that any move to relax safety standards could trigger a fresh judiciary-led shutdown of the state’s coal industry.
Bhattacharjee, the former chairman of the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), backed calls to rationalise the land area requirement to create a level playing field. However, he maintained that strict environmental safeguards must remain non-negotiable to avoid the wrath of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court.
While the SEAC recently cleared the state’s first three scientific mining projects, it did so by imposing nearly 70 conditions covering miner safety, water treatment, and community impact. Bhattacharjee stressed that these requirements must be enforced regardless of the size of the mining lease.
The former chairman specifically cautioned against large-scale open-cast mining in East Jaintia Hills. He noted that the region’s fragile geological conditions make it unsuitable for such operations, warning that the massive volume of overburden—the waste rock and soil removed to reach coal—could cause irreversible damage to biodiversity.
“If environmental safeguards are compromised, there is a risk of another ban,” Bhattacharjee cautioned. He noted that while Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar are pursuing the matter with the Union Ministries of Coal and Mines, the priority must remain ecological protection.
The push for a policy review comes as coal owners and local miners in East Jaintia Hills intensify demands for a lower land threshold. Stakeholders argue that the current 100-hectare requirement and the mandate for open-cast mining are impractical for local landowners. They are seeking a framework that accommodates traditional extraction methods while incorporating modern safety standards—a move critics fear could be a backdoor for the return of unregulated mining.
Earlier, MLAs Kyrmen Shylla and Santa Mary Shylla had pledged to pressure the state government to resume coal mining in Meghalaya following a meeting with Marshall SB Biam, president of the Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers and Workers Association (JCOMSWA). Biam, who is on the 12th day of an indefinite hunger strike, is seeking immediate intervention to revive the industry in Jaintia Hills. The legislators acknowledged the demand, noting that the prolonged mining halt has severely impacted local livelihoods, employment, and the regional economy.
Despite the assurance, Biam maintains that his protest will continue until the association’s memorandum reaches Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and the government takes definitive action to reopen the mines. He called on the MLAs to expedite the process, highlighting the urgent need to address the financial distress caused by ongoing mining restrictions.
