SHILLONG:
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, on August 25, said that illegal coal mining was at its peak during the Mukul Sangma government, and reminded him of failing to initiate action against illegal coal mining during his 8-year tenure as chief minister of the state.
“It was during the opposition’s time when there was no action being taken on any of these (illegal activities),” Chief Minister told reporters.
Conrad was responding to the opposition Trinamool Congress claim that the state government was allowing illegal coal mining, and the chief minister was responding to that claim.
He slammed the leader of opposition Mukul Sangma for making this accusation against the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.
“It was only when the NPP-led MDA government (took over) that we started imposing the MMDR Act, made it more stringent for anybody involved in these kinds of activities,” Conrad further added.
Informing that under the current government, numbers of cases have been filed and actions have been taken against hundreds of people, Conrad said that many involved in illegal mining activities have been arrested.
“I think they (opposition) have to realize what are the things they did not do during their time before pointing their fingers,” Conrad said.
Referring to the recent death of a labourer inside an illegal coal mine in West Khasi Hills district, the Chief Minister said that the owner of the mine has been arrested. “The system is there to catch anybody if there are any illegal activities that are going on and those actions will be taken… the law is there to take action and punish the people who are guilty,” he said.
The Chief Minister also stated that illegal coal mines located in distant places are difficult to detect, and laws are there to deal with people who are carrying out such activities.
“To enter these places, two days are needed. It is therefore physically impossible for the administration to arrive there,” the chief minister said.