Shillong, Feb 14: The recent mining tragedy in Mynsngat-Thangkso, where 31 individuals tragically lost their lives, has reignited debates in Meghalaya regarding the management of coal mining.
Reports suggest that illegal mining operations continue to be controlled by the “high level” leading to calls for “small scale scientific mining”, for the benefit of small land holders.
Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO), president Donbok Dkhar reminded of a resolution passed in March 2015 to enable the State government to take up with the Centre the need to issue a Presidential notification to exempt central mining laws in the autonomous areas of Meghalaya under Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution in the context of the ban on coal mining in the State by the NGT.
Dkhar said that the resolution was passed during the time when Dr Mukul Sangma was the Chief Minister and the current MDA-II government does not want to take it forward due to jealousy.
He stated that the Parliament had passed the Mines and Minerals Development Regulations Amendment Bill, 2015 empowering the concerned State Government under the sixth schedule to frame rules relating to mining and minerals development under Article 244 of the Constitution of the country and the same has been framed by the state of Meghalaya.
Dkhar also stated that the government of India had assured that it had no desire and intention to disturb the customary tribal rights and cause hardship to them.
In the March 23, 2015 resolution, the State government has considered to submit a specific proposal to the Centre to issue a Presidential notification in exercise of the powers conferred under Paragraph 12A (b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India that “relevant sections and sub-sections of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 shall not apply or shall apply with modifications to the Autonomous Region (Scheduled areas) in the State of Meghalaya and the Coal Mines (Nationalization) Act, 1973 and Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957 shall not apply to the Autonomous Region (Scheduled areas) in the State of Meghalaya”.
“Follow up the resolution and force the centre to accept it,” the HITO president demanded.
Meanwhile, HITO has demanded a CBI probe into the coal mine tragedy, as opposed to a judicial probe which may not sufficiently address the issue of illegal mining activities and the failures that led to the incident.
Dkhar said that after the ban on rat-hole mining on April 17, 2014, there have been many untoward incidents. “It is due to all these that we believe that the setting up of a judicial inquiry is only to fool the public,” the HITO president said.
