Mining in Jaintia hills not rat-hole: Warjri

SHILLONG, JULY 2: Meghalaya new chief secretary PBO Warjri is of the opinion that coal mining taking place in Meghalaya, especially in Jaintia hills region, are no longer “traditional” rat-hole mining as more of science is been involved into such mining activity.

Warjri told reporters on Wednesday, “I hesitate to say that mining in Jaintia hills and other places of the state is rat-hole mining.”  The statement by him comes in the wake of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s order ban on rat hole coal mining in the state.

According to Warjri, the mining activities in Jaintia Hills involve the use of modern equipments besides, know of science of geology.  He said, “In Jaintia Hills, they dig a big shaft to extract the coal which is not rat hole anymore,” adding that the traditional rat hole mining is in Sohra, East Khasi hills district where they dug straight through the hill without any modern equipment.

Following the interim order issued by NGT on April 17, coal mining came to a grinding halt after the state government issued orders banning unscientific rat-hole mining of coal in the entire 11 districts.

The NGT ban came following the All Dimasa Students’ Union petition to the tribunal on April 2, blaming that illegal rat-hole mining in Jaintia hills was polluting the Kopili river and turning its water acidic.

Admitting that there is an adverse impact on the river because of coal mining, Warjri said, “I have seen it with my own eyes where rivers are being polluted because of such activity. If one go to such places, you will see the colour of the rock change into red colour simply because of high sulphur content from the coal.”  He also said that another concern is the drying up of many rivers due to this activity besides threatening the health of the people.

According to Warjri, such pollution and contamination of the river bodies is due to careless pumping of untreated coal water and dumping of coal.  He said, “There is need for regulation to ensure that water from coal mines are treated before it gets to the natural system.”

Abandoned coal mines are also another reason which pose serious threat to environment where maximum leakage of acid drainage mine (ADM) to the rivers. On this issue Warjri said this will also be taken up as part of the regulations prepared by the state government in compliance to the NGT order. He said, “All abandoned coal mines will have to be seal and filled up as they pose serious danger not only to the environment but to people and even animals.”- By Our Reporter