Shillong: The Meghalaya government is calling on miners in the Jaintia Hills to submit their own proposals for legal mining methods to restart an industry that has been inactive for a decade. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar acknowledged that the state's roadmap for scientific mining has stalled due to a strict 100-hectare threshold for licensing.
Currently, only four entities have met this land requirement, which local stakeholders argue is financially unviable for average operators. Dhar admitted the 100-hectare requirement is a major hurdle. The state government intends to present these local proposals to the Union government to negotiate a reduction in minimum land requirements, allowing small-scale operators to resume work.
Pressure is mounting from the Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers and Workers Association, which claims the 2014 National Green Tribunal ban on rat-hole mining has devastated the regional economy and pushed families into poverty. Meanwhile, the Jaintia Coal Miners and Dealers Association is enforcing a three-month ultimatum for the government to address these concerns. They are currently drafting an independent mining plan in collaboration with stakeholders from the Khasi and Garo Hills to demand permissions for smaller operations.
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