Shillong, June 2: Cabinet Minister and MDA government spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla on Tuesday said that while the Meghalaya government has successfully secured the lifting of the coal mining ban, the transition to scientific mining has proved impractical for many small miners in the Jaintia Hills region.
Speaking on the issue, Shylla pointed out that the ban on coal mining was not imposed by the state government but by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 due to environmental and safety concerns. “The ban was not imposed by the state government. It came from the NGT in 2014. After that, we saw huge protests and even lost precious lives,” he said.
Shylla clarified that the coal mining ban has since been lifted following interventions by the state government, particularly under the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. However, mining activities are now required to comply with scientific mining norms. “After the state government’s intervention, especially under the MDA, the coal ban has been lifted. The condition now is that mining must be scientific,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that meeting the stringent requirements laid down by the Union Coal Ministry remains a major challenge, especially for small-scale miners operating in Meghalaya’s unique geological conditions. According to Shylla, although several large miners have applied for licences, many have come to realise that scientific mining is neither easy nor economically viable for smaller operators. “Big miners have applied for licences, but people are now realising that it is not easy, especially for small miners. We share the same sentiment,” he stated.
He further explained that the layered nature of coal seams in Jaintia Hills makes open-cast mining unsuitable. “The coal seams in our area are in layers. If we do open-cast mining, it will not be beneficial. Miners will only incur losses,” he said.
Shylla said the government remains concerned about the livelihoods of people dependent on coal mining, particularly in Jaintia Hills, while also recognising the need to protect the environment. “We are very concerned, especially MLAs from the Jaintia Hills. At the same time, we realise that as a government we have to balance things. We cannot destroy the environment, and we also have to ensure that people’s livelihoods continue,” he said.
The minister noted that the government could not have sought the resumption of rat-hole mining without first attempting scientific mining. However, after gaining experience with the current system, it has become clear that scientific mining is not suitable for many local miners. “Now we have tried. Many of our miners with large holdings have come forward. But we realise it is not beneficial. Open-cast mining is not fit for our area,” he added.
Calling for intervention from the Centre, Shylla said the time has come to explore alternative mining methods using modern technology that could safeguard both livelihoods and environmental interests. “We have tried, but it’s not working. I think it is high time we approach the Union government and request them to look into this. We need to explore other possibilities using today’s technology to protect the interests of small miners,” he said.
The NGT had banned rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya in 2014 citing serious environmental degradation and safety risks associated with the practice.
