Protesters direct coal ban fury at Lok Sabha bypoll candidates
KHLIEHRIAT, June 9: Public fury over the decade-long coal mining ban in Jaintia Hills exploded on Tuesday when a farmer openly threatened Shillong Lok Sabha by-election candidates with rotten vegetables wrapped in plastic if they dared seek her vote.
The farmer, speaking at Madan Football Ground in East Jaintia Hills, backed Marshall S.B. Biam’s indefinite hunger strike — now at nine days — launched by the Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers and Workers Association (JCOMSWA).
Hundreds gathered to support Biam, whose indefinite fast demands government action on economic devastation caused by the National Green Tribunal’s 2014 coal mining and transportation ban.
“The region has been reeling under economic distress for over a decade and the ban has pushed many families into poverty and uncertainty,” she said.
She alleged that successive governments and elected representatives had failed to address the plight of the people who depended on coal mining for their livelihood.
The woman claimed the region has been reeling under economic distress for over a decade and said the ban has pushed many families into poverty and uncertainty.
She added that many households struggled to make ends meet since coal mining activities came to a halt, and according to her, unemployment has risen sharply, business activities have declined and many families have been left without a stable source of income.
She further claimed that many parents were finding it increasingly difficult to send their children to school, as financial constraints forced families to cut down on educational expenses.
Criticising the government’s handling of the coal issue, she alleged that the proposal to lease mining activities to a handful of wealthy individuals would only worsen the situation and further marginalise ordinary citizens who relied on the sector for generations.
She said while people continued to suffer, political leaders allegedly remained indifferent to their problems. She alleged that elected representatives had failed to adequately represent people’s concerns and that many leaders were more focused on personal enrichment than addressing public grievances.
“Biam and JCOMSWA are taking up the people’s cause,” she said, urging Jaintia Hills residents to unite until “a satisfactory solution is reached”.
Support grew with the Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) and Jaintia National Council (JNC) backing the agitation. Both organisations demanded immediate government dialogue.
“Thousands of families, which once depended directly or indirectly on the coal industry, are now struggling to survive,” JSU general secretary N. Mukhim said.
“The ban on coal mining had severely affected the economy of Jaintia Hills and led to widespread unemployment and social distress.”
The speakers declared that the agitation would continue until the government responded to people’s concerns and initiated meaningful steps towards resolving the issue.
