100 hectares stipulation for mining lease of coal is for monopolizing of coal business by the high-level group: VPP

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 21, 2024

The Voice of People Party (VPP) viewed the present stipulation of 100 hectares for obtaining prospecting license and mining lease for coal mining as an act for monopolizing the coal business by the so-called high-level groups as only coal tycoons and big companies can compete while the common man and small miners will continue to suffer even after a decade of ban on coal mining.

In a letter to the Commissioner & Secretary, Meghalaya Department of Mining & Geology, VPP organizing secretary Damewanhi Rymbai said that on 17/4/2014 the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a blanket ban on coal mining activities in Meghalaya and now ten years on after the NGT ban the perplexities and practical feasibility to allow the common man to start the coal business in the State still remain to be unaddressed in a proper and acceptable manner.

He also said that the suffering of the people in the coal belts areas of the State become unbearable and the unfair system currently existing leads to the denial of livelihood opportunities to many opportunities to many while few become fabulously rich in a situation where the highly influenced and so-called high-level group now want to monopolize the coal business in Meghalaya.

The VPP Organizing Secretary informed on 3/7/2019, Supreme Court of India passed a judgment regarding the unregulated coal mining in the tribal areas of Meghalaya, whereby various directions has been given to the State Government in order to allow the common man to start the mining of coal in a scientific and environmentally friendly manner.

He also said that view of the directions of the Supreme Court of India, the State of Meghalaya has notified a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) vide Notification dated 5/3/2021 issued by the Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Mining & Geology Department for grant of Prospecting License and/or Mining Lease for coal in the State of Meghalaya.

Rymbai said that Chapter-1. E.6 and Chapter-II.E.15 of the aforementioned SOP, it has indicated that grant of prospecting license and/or mining lease for coal in the State of Meghalaya shall be for an area not less than 100 hectares. He however said this is highly questionable and unacceptable as only very few tribal land owners may have possession/ownership over of so much of land and thus other land owners who have less area of land will be deprived of earning livelihood through coal mining activities.

“Now, with this kind of SOP, only the big business tycoons and big companies can apply for prospecting license and the common man and small miners who have land less than 100 hectares will not be in a position to take part in the coal mining activities and hence deprived them of their rights to earn their livelihood, Rymbai said.

The letter also said that the party felt it necessary to inform that any lackadaisical attitudes on the part of the department to address this instant matter swiftly, logically, and properly will compel the VPP to apply all democratic rights to public action.