SHILLONG, June 17: Refusing to trade their hunger strike for another government committee, coal miners from Jaintia Hills on Wednesday rejected the state’s offer of a “Small Scale Mining Policy,” demanding instead that the unworkable 100-hectare land requirement be slashed to allow local landowners to resume extraction.
The stalemate followed a meeting between the state government and the Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers and Workers Association (JCOMSWA). While the government proposed a new committee headed by the Chief Secretary to draft a policy and examine land requirements, the miners dismissed the move as a stalling tactic lacking concrete assurances.
At the heart of the contention is the “Scientific Mining” framework, which mandates a minimum of 100 hectares for a mining lease. JCOMSWA leaders argued this threshold is impossible for most local landowners in Jaintia Hills. They are demanding a model similar to limestone mining, where plots below five hectares are classified as minor mineral leases, allowing smaller operators to bypass the rigid regulations governing major minerals.
“The government has asked us to nominate members to this committee, but there is no commitment on when mining will actually resume,” said Wansha Nongtdu, a resident of East Jaintia Hills who attended the meeting.
The hunger strike, which has paralyzed the region’s political atmosphere, will continue.Protesters pointed out that the economy in Jaintia Hills—particularly in hubs like Wapung—has been in freefall since the 2014 NGT ban. After a decade of suspension, thousands of families who once relied on “black gold” have been pushed into severe economic hardship.
In a bid to de-escalate the situation, the government suggested that those affected by the ban could apply for financial assistance under the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund (MEPRF). However, the miners remain skeptical of using environmental restoration funds as a temporary livelihood bridge, viewing it as a distraction from the legal right to mine their own land.
The association stated that no final decision can be reached until after a High Court-appointed committee visits Jaintia Hills on June 29. Until then, the miners say their fast will continue, maintaining that the survival of the Jaintia economy depends on a practical framework for small-scale mining, not more bureaucratic oversight.
