Meghalaya preparing comprehensive report on mining: CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today said his government is preparing a 'comprehensive report' on the measures initiated to have scientific mining to be place in the state and present it before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which has ordered to put a stop to rat-hole mining in the state.
"We have decided to constitute a committee to guide all the line departments to come up with a comprehensive rule which is required to be completed as expeditiously as possible and place it before NGT in line with the ruling of the NGT," Mukul told reporters after a cabinet meeting here.

The NGT in its order on April 17, directed the state Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure that unscientific rat-hole mining of coal is stopped 'forthwith' throughout the state following a petition by the Assam-based All Dimasa Students' Union and the Dima Hasao district committee.
Both parties had moved the Green Tribunal on April 2, alleging illegal rat-hole mining in Meghalaya's Jaintia hills district as the root cause of pollution and acidification of Kopili river, while at the same time placed before the tribunal two survey reports of 2006 and 2010 in which pH level of the river shows big differences.

Stating that the department concerned has already been working on framing of various rules in line with the mining policy of the state, the Chief Minister said, "what is required to be done now is to look at how we place all those measures already initiated and taken by the department to give effect to the objective of having scientific mining conforming to various statutory rules available in the country."
Denying the NGT opinion that the mining activities are benefited by a few and the 'mafias', Mukul said, "the state is also recipient of the benefits of the mining activities in term of revenue. So the district councils are getting royalty collected. Therefore it is incumbent upon the government to uphold the spirit of democracy for the people, of the people and by the people."

The Chief Minister also said that he is yet to officially receive the order from the NGT registry.