By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister also in-charge of Mining and Geology, Bindo M Lanong, has asserted that views and suggestions of the coal and limestone miners of the State have been incorporated in the final draft of the Mining Policy.
Reacting to the allegation of the miners under the banner of Joint Forum on Mining Policy that the draft was prepared without honouring their suggestions, Lanong said, “They don’t even understand what are they saying as we had invited all stakeholders and all their views have been incorporated in the policy.”
The Forum said the Government did not honour the suggestions made by the miners and other stakeholders in meetings convened by the Government to take different views on the mining policy.
The final draft of the much-awaited mining policy that would regulate the mining activities in the State is likely to be submitted to the Government by the end of this month.
On the miners’ defence of their arguments citing the Sixth Schedule status of the State, the Minister said, “Mining is a Central Government subject and we cannot ignore the Constitution of India while formulating the policy.”
“Some people have the tendency of standing in the way whenever we try to do something good,” Lanong said.
WKHSU demand: The West Khasi Hills Students’ Union (WKHSU) has demanded a review of the mining policy draft before it is being enacted, Our Nongstoin Correspondent adds.
Many provisions in the draft policy are going to affect the coal miners and traders in the district, WKHSU president M Marngar said.
Pointing out that around 90 per cent of the people in West Khasi Hills depend on the trade, the WKHSU said the policy would snatch the right of the landowners on their own land.
