Shillong: Pynthorumkhrah MLA Alexander Laloo Hek confirmed on Saturday that the BJP is pushing the national leadership to address the grievances of small-scale coal miners in Meghalaya. The issue is no longer tied up in court. The decision rests with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Miners want a scientific mining framework that actually fits their size. The current system grants mining leases, but it sets land requirements that small operators cannot meet. Most lack the necessary resources and acreage to qualify for the standard leases. These miners claim the current rules favor large-scale operations.
Hek stated, "The party and its leaders are pursuing this." He added that the state unit is actively seeking a path forward with the Centre. Small miners are not asking for a return to the old, unregulated days. They want a legal, scientific model that respects their limits while keeping safety and environmental rules in place.
A few miners have already started using the existing lease facility. The debate has moved past the old legal bans. The focus is now on how to include smaller players in the state’s current mining regime.
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