Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma is lobbying the central government to drop the minimum mining lease area from 100 hectares to five. He wants to help small-scale operators get back to work. Sangma pushed for this change during a meeting with the Union Minister for Coal and Mines earlier this year. Sutnga-Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla joined him for those talks.
The Centre set up a committee to review the plan. The panel met four times already and will soon visit Meghalaya to talk with local stakeholders. Sangma told reporters, "We discussed in detail reducing the requirement from 100 hectares to below 10, or five if possible, so that our small-time miners can also start mining."
Coal mining became legal again in 2019 after the Supreme Court lifted a long-standing ban under the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act. Yet, the method of extraction remains a hurdle. Sangma dismissed concerns that the state would revert to primitive rat-hole mining. He said the National Green Tribunal, the Supreme Court, and the Centre demand strict adherence to safety and environmental rules.
The state government has submitted technical plans to handle thin coal seams and local geology. These proposals aim to keep miners within the law while protecting workers and the landscape. Scientific methods stay mandatory.
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