SHILLONG, JULY 14: The blanket ban of unscientific rat-hole coal mining by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Meghalaya is not the remedy because the phenomenon of acid mines drainage (AMD) is not without solution, according to the State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners & Dealers Forum (SCCCOMDF).
“The acid mine drainage is a world wide experience in all the mining areas and this phenomenon is not without solution. So banning of mining activity is in fact not the remedy,” said chairman of SCCCOMDF SL Khyriem in a letter to the prime minister Narendra Modi.
Seeking the PM’s immediate intervention into the rate hole coal mining, Khyriem said, “The solution is to treat the acid mine drainage in an economical and scientific way and method as experienced and implemented worldwide.”
Stating Meghalaya is also rich in limestone, Khyriem suggested that the limestone which is particularly lying side by side in the coal mining areas can easily be used for treating the acid mine drainage.
“Therefore, we urged the centre to provide management policy for treatment of acid mine drainage to be formulated and implemented in consultation with the state government so as to enable the miners and the people of the state to resume their occupation of coal mining and other related activities arising out of coal mining,” Khyriem in the letter.
The committee further urged the centre on the need to address the plight and grievances of the people so as to prevent and protect social unrest and rising of insurgency activities in the state of Meghalaya.
According to Khyriem, it is evident that criminal activities like robbery and theft, extortion is on the rise. He said,“The unusual and unheard way of life such as of abandoning and selling of children has emerged in Meghalaya during this period and unless remedial measure is taken at the earliest and initial stage, the state as a whole will witness an uprising of social unrest, economical despondency and insurgent activities.”
In the letter Khyriem also highlighted that the ban imposed by the NGT has thrown life out of gear that includes owners and workers and other related employment in the state. He said, “The ban was made effective from April 17, and as a result the plight of the people is beyond expression. It is also needed for the centre to provide alternative means and scheme for sustaining the livelihood of the people of the state at the earliest.”
The committee also urged the prime minister to intervene and ensure that the ban of coal mining is lifted from the state. – By Our Reporter
Arrest those who have sold children and penalize heavily the coal barons who have even grabbed the land of many villagers. What social unrest is he talking? Is this blackmail? Better talk about looting by terrorist cops in uniform from every checkpoint and why do they not send memos for all this extortion and land grabbing. The rise in insurgency is created by these rich spoil t brat along with some agents who capitalize on such situation. They even pay for corrupt police and officers to be appointed in these areas. The poor are arrested on no grounds but when the rich want to grab their lands the police and the miner plan out to trap the illiterate villagers. Many poor people have to drink the polluted water of these unscrupulous miners who had no thought for anyone least of all their own people. There is no development in these areas by the Govt and much muscle power by police is leading many youth into the path of militancy. Now these coal barons, who should be penalized, go to New Delhi and beg, after destroying the environment and after having polluted the water, which has led to 100% mortality even for aquatic life. What a disgrace, when money for them is everything and life of human beings has become just a joke for them.