SHILLONG, Sep 6: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday admitted that he was not sure if illegal coal mining has stopped in the state.
Stating that illegalities related to coal mining may not have stopped completely, Rymbui told The Shillong Times: “Coal mining was a very lucrative trade prior to the NGT ban and many people in the state depended on coal mining for their livelihood, directly or indirectly.”
“But suddenly in 2014 when the ban on coal mining was imposed, people lost their livelihood and trade and ever since they have tried to circumvent the laws to go about their business,” he added.
Citing instances of illegal coal mining surfacing time and again, he said, “Just a few weeks back, we witnessed illegal coal mining in a remote area of West Khasi Hills.”
Reminding that in 2020, the government had come up with a plan and scheme to incentivise the people who are reporting such illegalities, he said, “No one has reported anything in spite of the incentives.”
On illegal transportation of coal, he said, “Many trucks have been seized by the police and forwarded to the court; it is not that all trucks escape but police also have limitations in the sense that there are thousands of trucks carrying other essential commodities or materials.”
“The national highway from Jorabat till Ratacherra is the lifeline of the Barak Valley and mainland India. It is not possible for police to check each and every truck but they are trying their best,” he added.
