SHILLONG:
Opposition AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday slammed the NPP-led MDA government for its notification relating to prospecting licenses and mining leases as it seeks to deprive the people, especially coal miners of the state.
According to him, the government actually wants to thrive on illegal mining.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma said in 2012, the then government had come up with a policy ‘Meghalaya Mineral Development and Regulation Policy, 2012’ which stated that “mine owners having land measuring 5 hectares can proceed (with obtaining the mining lease)”.
“But what has happened today? Today, this present government came up with a notification that was designed to deprive our people. We all know our people, our clan has distributed all these mines among their different families and different beneficiaries who belong to the Elaka or the Hima or the Akhing land. Now we all know when the distribution has taken place, somebody maybe having 5 hectares and somebody maybe having 20 hectares,” he said.
“We all know this but why did the government try to create this whole hurdle and hardship to deny the overall opportunity that is available for our people by coming up with such a regulation saying that “minimum area to apply for a mining lease or rather for legal mining will require a minimum of 100 hectares”. That is what I am questioning,” Sangma said while adding “Where is the help? Are they clearing every application on time? Just go and see in the office, they want to thrive on illegal mining. So long the legal mining doesn’t start they will facilitate, they will create a system to patronise the whole illegal mining and the whole illegal transportation of coal, defy all rules and regulations including defying the judgment of the Supreme Court.”
Referring to the report submitted by Justice Katakey on the illegal mining in the state, the former CM said, “Have you seen the report of Justice Katakey where the report had indicated that contrary to what the government has claimed of having 32 lakh metric tons of coal lying in different coal bearing districts, on his ground analysis and various methodologies adopted including areal assessment of these coal stocks, it will not cross more than 19 lakh metric tons.”
He added, “That means what I have said earlier is that the state government under its patronage has allowed not just illegal mining but illegal transportation and sale of this coal which were lying in these coal-bearing districts at the cost of the interest of the state.”
Sangma said that the coal has in fact disappeared without any revenue that should have accrued to the state government adding that the government has allowed the irregularities to happen under its patronage.
“It is reflected by the fact that every time in these coal-bearing districts there are too many transfers and postings of officers which indicate a motive behind a predetermined motive. Therefore, today with the utmost sense of responsibility with which the government should have moved, the people in the government have misused their position and power, misused their authority to perpetuate these illegalities,” he said while asserting that this delay in legal mining has been with the illegal intent to perpetuate these illegalities. “Even as we speak now, I am telling you illegal mining is taking place in the state,” he alleged.