The People’s Democratic Front (PDF), a member of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, is firmly opposed to the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state, one of the party’s cabinet ministers, Hamletson Dohling, said today.
The government has been plagued by allegations from the opposition and others on alleged illegal coal activities, which culminated in the deaths of six labourers at a coal mine in East Jaiñtia Hills last month.
“Any coal activities at present are illegal since there are no means for authorized coal activity in the state and we have always stood against this illegality from day one,” Dohling, the Soil and Water Conservation Minister, told reporters.
Stating that there have been many allegations on this issue, he, however, said that, according to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, there are no such illegalities.
“Whenever we get to discuss this issue with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, they would convey that there are no such illegalities and that law is in place and there are the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police who have been directed to look into these matters. If the allegations are true, we will not support these illegalities and we oppose them fiercely,” he maintained.
