EJH leaders reject open-cast mining, call for tailored solution from Centre

KHLIEHRIAT, July 11: Rejecting central “open-cast” mining models as impractical for Meghalaya’s thin coal seams, local legislators and miners in Khliehriat are pushing for a customised mining policy to break the decade-long deadlock crippling the East Jaintia Hills economy.
During a general meeting of the Jaintia Coal Miners & Dealers Association (JCMDA) on Thursday, Sutnga Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla reported on her recent discussions with Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy. Shylla argued that the standard open-cast mining methods mandated by central guidelines are geologically unfeasible for the district, where coal seams are only three to six feet deep.
She stated that enforcing such methods would cause excessive environmental damage while failing to extract resources efficiently. Instead, she and Khliehriat MLA Kyrmen Shylla are lobbying the Centre for a specialized mining framework that accounts for the region’s unique topography.
While acknowledging public skepticism over the lack of a concrete timeline to resume mining, the MLAs stated that the JCMDA has spent the last three months petitioning the Chief Minister and Union officials to find a legal pathway around the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban.
Khliehriat MLA Kyrmen Shylla addressed the economic and social strain the ban has placed on the district. He called for a unified approach to environmental restoration—including reforestation and the treatment of acidic water bodies—as a prerequisite for any resumption of activity.
Responding to local tensions regarding the JCMDA leadership, Shylla defended the association’s president and urged cooperation between “coal barons” and the struggling families who remain dependent on the industry for survival.
The meeting was attended by MDCs of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), representatives from various NGOs, and small-scale business owners who have been sidelined since the 2014 mining ban.