Shillong: Coal miners in Jaintia Hills have rejected a state government proposal for a new small-scale mining policy, choosing instead to continue their ongoing hunger strike. The Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers and Workers Association (JCOMSWA) dismissed the government's offer to form a committee led by the Chief Secretary, viewing the move as a delay tactic that lacks real solutions for local operators.
The central dispute involves a scientific mining framework that requires a minimum of 100 hectares for a lease. Local miners argue this threshold is unattainable for most families in the region. They are calling for a more flexible model similar to the regulations used for limestone mining, which permits leases for plots smaller than five hectares.
The region has faced severe economic decline since a 2014 ban by the National Green Tribunal. While the government suggested that families could access aid through the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund, protesters criticized this as a distraction from their legal right to resume extraction. Regarding the committee offer, local resident Wansha Nongtdu stated, "The government has asked us to nominate members to this committee, but there is no commitment on when mining will actually resume."
Miners intend to maintain their protest until a High Court-appointed committee conducts an official visit to the area on June 29. They maintain that the local economy requires a practical policy framework rather than additional layers of bureaucratic oversight.
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