Shillong: Jaintia Hills locals are hurting under the ongoing coal mining ban. Sutnga-Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla wants a change in direction. She is pushing tourism as a long-term fix for a region stuck in economic limbo. Coal eventually runs out. The MLA knows the status quo cannot hold.
Shylla recently scouted two untapped waterfalls in East Jaintia Hills. She confirmed that surveyors already hit the ground. The state needs to sign off on the funding before construction starts. Once government officials hand over the cash, the work begins.
Mining remains a hot topic despite the pivot. Local miners recently sat down with the Chief Minister to talk shop. They want the government to shrink the minimum mining area from 100 hectares down to 5 or 10 hectares. The goal is to get a scaled-down model approved by the feds. "Coal will not last forever. Tourism has a bright future for the people," she said.
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