SHILLONG, FEB 12: The Khasi Students’ Union – South West Khasi Hills District (KSU-SWKHD)- has asked the state government to challenge the order of the National Green Tribunal banning sand mining activities in the state.
The demand came following the imposition of section 144 CrPC in the different districts of the state by the district administrations in compliance with the NGT order prohibiting mining activities in the areas.
The section 144 CrPC has restrain person or company to carry out any mining activity or removal of sand, from river beds without obtaining Environmental Clearance from Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and SEIAA and license from the competent authorities.
A delegation of the KSU-SWKHD led by its general secretary Robert June Kharjahrin on Wednesday met the state deputy chief minister in-charge of law department, Rowel Lyngdoh on the need to immediately lift section 144 CrPC imposed in the different districts of the state.
“We demanded the state government to immediately call off the imposition of the section 144 CrPC on grounds that this has affected the people of the state including South West Khasi Hills District in particular who are wholly dependent for their livelihood from such activities,” Kharjahrin told reporters after the meeting.
According to Kharjahrin, most of the people are only engaged in collecting sands and boulders from river-side and not mining activities which in no ways affects the environment.
Saying seeking the license for carrying such small activity is totally not reasonable, Kharjahrin said, “The order of the NGT needs to be challenged by the state government since it is also against the very customary rights of the people over tribal lands.”
As per the order of the NGT issued on August 5, last year, sand mining on either side of the rivers, upstream and in-stream, is one of the causes for environmental degradation and also a threat to biodiversity.
The student leader lambasted the state government for quickly implementing the order issued by the NGT but failed to regulate and check rampant illegal and unscientific coal mining which has been the root cause of environmental degradation in the state.
Kharjarin said, “We are extremely shock to see that our government takes so much interest to ban activities which has nothing to do with environmental degradation but wash its hands from addressing serious issues like coal mining.”
Meanwhile, the deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh assured the delegation that the department would examine and study on the issue before taking necessary steps.- By Our Reporter
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