Coal body holds meeting in Khliehriat
SHILLONG: The formation of cooperative societies for mining coal is in the pipeline.
The chief honorary advisor of Jaintia Coal Miners & Dealers Association (JCMDA), Sonny Khyriem said there is a need to form cooperative societies.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, he said, “Talks for cooperative societies are now on. We are collecting information as to how to go about with the co-operative society as it is only with the cooperative society that we can mine coal and this will be applicable for new coal miners.”
Earlier, the NGT committee headed by BP Katakey had also stressed the need of forming cooperative societies.
The association had a meeting on August 1 at Khliehriat, East Jaintia Hills to discuss about making suggestions regarding the mining plan besides electing new executive committee members of the association.
After the July 3 Supreme Court order, the miners cannot carry on with the illegal rat-hole mining activities.
Many mine owners, who have small coal deposits, are now required to come together under a society to get mining plans cleared as otherwise many of them have to individually submit mining plans. Besides, the small and marginalised mine owners will not be able to bear the cost of preparing mining plans.
The mining plan will be mine specific though the state government is planning to engage central agencies to prepare broad parameters of the mining plan.
Soon after the court verdict on coal mining, the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the government had engaged Central Mine Planning and Design Institute and Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited, to prepare a detailed mining plan.
Mining will be allowed provided a plan is prepared which will be put up to the state government following which it will send it to the union government for consideration.
As far as coal mining is concerned, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act is still applicable and the people have to comply with it.
