Shillong, Apr 18: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) today met State BJP general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna to follow up its demand to grant Meghalaya with a “Small-Scale Scientific Coal Mining Policy”.
Last month, the JNC submitted a memorandum to the State BJP seeking support from the saffron party, which leads the government at the centre, to address the pressing issue that affects the livelihood of thousands in the Jaiñtia Hills region.
JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh told reporters that the discussions with Pohshna were productive, with the BJP leader assuring to take up the concerns to the central government
Lyngdoh said that the Supreme Court’s 2019 relief that allowed regulated coal mining under the Minor Mineral Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act clashes with Meghalaya’s traditional land tenure and small-scale mining practices.
He said the organisation highlighted the importance of compliance with the Supreme Court’s mandate, particularly pointing out the relevance of para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule, which can potentially exempt certain areas from the MMDR compliance.
According to Lyngdoh, this exemption is crucial for small-scale miners, as the current stipulations can exclude ancestral operators who do not hold large land areas.
