Shillong, May 18: The Jaiñtia Coal Owner Miners & Supplier Workers Association (JCOMSWA) has urged the district council to facilitate revival of coal mining by taking up the issue with the central and state governments.
In a memorandum to Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council CEM Thombor Shiwat today, the association appealed for safe and scientific coal mining and grouping of small landowners to resume mining legally by ensuring that the laws of the land are adapted to suit local land-holding systems.
“We are not asking for a return to the unsafe practices of the past. We want a future where we can mine safely, scientifically, and—most importantly—with the dignity of being legal owners of our own wealth,” president of the association Marshall S.B Biam said.
He said the association respects the need for safety and environmental protection, but the current system makes it almost impossible for a common tribal landowner to comply with the rules. “This has created a situation where traditional activities are labeled illegal, even though the highest court in the country says the minerals belong to us. We need a practical, local solution that allows us to work our land without being treated like lawbreakers,” Biam added.
The association believed that the district council would act as a shield for their rights and the catalyst for economic revival.
Stating that the people of the Jaiñtia Hills have lived in a state of economic despair due to the total ban on coal mining, which was backbone of the economy for generations, the association said there is widespread unemployment, affecting not just miners but also suppliers, local businesses, and daily labourers.
