Provide job, lift ban or face bandh : HNLC

SHILLONG, MAY 1: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has threatened to call a twenty-four bandh on June 10 in Khasi and Jaintia hills if the National Green Tribunal (NGT) fails to lift the ban on coal or provide alternative employment to those affected by the ban.

In a press statement issued by the HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw on Sunday, the outfit threatened to call a bandh on June 10 a day after the NGT hearing on the coal ban and said if the tribunal did not lift the ban or provide alternative employment to all the workers who are affected by the ban it will call for the 24-hour bandh on June 10.

The proposed bandh will be from 6 pm on June 10 to 6 pm the next day.

Nongtraw was of the opinion that the postponement of the NGT’s second hearing date to June 9 on the ban on rat hole mining is nothing but delay tactics. He recalled that in 1996 the Supreme Court imposed  ban on timber trade that affected thousands of families.

Nongtraw said that the timber that were already felled before ban in the entire region were worth several hundred crores.  He said the Supreme Court had constituted the High Power Commitee and instructed the people to submit stock inventory report to respective district councils and forest department so as to enable the supply of the felled timber.

Nongtraw, however, said this never happened and because of the delay of the HPC all the timber in the forests were totally damaged causing a huge loss. He stated that those days most of our people had the alternative to shift to coal mining and other trades related to it  but felt  this time the ban on coal rat-hole mining will create huge  unemployment.

Nongtraw further said that the NGT would repeat the same delay tactics that took place in 1996. He said if the NGT during its second hearing on June 9 decides to just release only the coal that was mined before its ban, then it will surely ask the traders to submit the stocks present in their quarries and depots at the state DMR offices.

Nongtraw was of the opinion that without the submission of the stocks the NGT will not be able to make an assessment delaying the whole process and hence most of the coal exposed will either be damaged or the value of the same coal come down drastically. This he said will only make the people who are connected with the coal trade to suffer loss.

Nongtraw said the ban had already started affecting Jaintia hills,West Khasi hills, Ri Bhoi district And Hima Sohra. He pointed out that many of the makeshift food stalls on the highways have closed down and thousands of truck drivers are rendered jobless who in turn are waiting for the June 9 NGT verdict.

Nongtraw said the Meghalaya government has miserably failed to protect the interests of the entire Hynñiewtrep. He was of the opinion that the NGT must also ban mining of cement and shutdown all cement plants located in Jaintia hills as well as Khasi hills.

Nongtraw said if the cement companies are allowed to carry operations then it will clearly indicate that there is a nexus between the companies, the MOEF (Ministry of Environment and Forest) and  NGT.

Nongtraw said the NGT must come out with strategies to provide alternate forms of employment to all the people affected from the ban of the coal if the ban is not lifted. He said coal mining contributes to the National Economy and GDP and generate employment.

Nongtraw strong felt that if the NGT is not able to provide employment then the tribunal must lift the ban on rat hole coal mining during its sitting on June 9.  He also said the state government will be responsible for any negative outcome if it fails to get the ban lifted.

Nongtraw also informed that during the June 10 twenty-four hour bandh patients, ambulance services, media vehicles and religeous ceremonies will be exempted.-By Our Reporter