Don’t intrude into land ownership:Miners

SHILLONG, MAR 30: “Mine workers” on Monday suggested to the state government to ensure that right of ownership and usages of land should not be intruded while framing the scientific mining plan and policy.

“The state government should keep in mind that while framing the mining plan and policy, care should be taken to see that the same should not intrude into the right of ownerships and usages of land including upper and lower soil,” they said in a letter submitted on Monday.

MCTOOA Augustine Shanpru, who is one of mine workers said, “We also suggested that in no way the mining plan should dilute the power and protection given by the Sixth Schedule to the indigenous people of our state.”

The suggestions were also submitted after the NGT’s direction to the state government to complete its mining plan and policy within a period of six weeks.

Shanpru said the state government while framing the mining policy and plan should not do away with the current system of mining which is least damaging to the environment.

Stating that it cannot be denied that the water bodies gets polluted because of release of untreated mine water into rivers, Shanpru, however, said, “This can be greatly controlled by making it mandatory for all mine workers/miners/owners to install mine water filtration and treatment plant at the vicinity of their mines and the same should be verified by the concerned government officials prior to the start of mining.”

Shanpru further stated that decrease of forest coverage should not be attributed to coal mining and coal miners should not be made scapegoat for no crimes of their own. According to him, the depletion in forest coverage is not in the coal mine areas but in limestone and other minerals adding coal mines in various places in Meghalaya still have lots of forest cover with thick jungles around them.

Asserting that the mining plan and policy should be as simple as possible, Shanpru said, “The plan and policy should speak broadly about the clearances to be obtained from concerned authorities, payment of government fees, taxes and royalty and also environment fund, mode of mining which is less damaging to environment.”

Shanpru added, it should avoid intruding into the territory covered by the Sixth schedule to the Constitution of India.

Shanpru said the mine workers and owners also urged the government to take these points into consideration while framing the mining plan and policy after due consultation with the Coal Ministry and Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of Home. He also urged the government to submit the mining plan within six weeks as directed by the NGT.- By Our Reporter