SHILLONG, MAR 16: Meghalaya forest minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said traditional excavation of limestone in the state is allowed and the government is in the process of examining the guidelines to meet the requirements as per court’s order.
“As per the ruling of the High Court in January, traditional excavation of limestone is allowed,” Tynsong told the assembly. He was replying to the issue raised by Opposition leader Donkupar Roy and other members that traditional miners were not allowed to mine limestone.
“In view of the ruling of the court, we have sent it to our legal cell of the government because we don’t want to further delay the guideline and the process we have done,” he said.
According to him, the Court’s ruling which allow traditional excavation of limestone came at a time when the government is in a stage of completing the entire exercise of regulating the limestone mining activities in the state.
Stating the High Court in its order on June 30, last year has directed regulation of mining of limestone in private and individual quarries, Tynsong said, “Accordingly the government had issued an order to all the district officers that the land owners and quarry owners should come up and also apply necessary laid down requirement before going on with mining activities in as far as limestone is concerned.”
It also stated that clearances have to be issued by the Central Empowered Committee constituted by Supreme Court, he said.
Subsequent to this, the minister said when the government went to appeal for review petition, the High Court (on November 26, 2015) came up with an order saying that clearances should be issued at the level of the state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA).
“The government has put in place of all those requirement now and very soon is going to hold workshop with the stakeholders so that this issue of regulation is resorted,” he informed.
Stating the issue is on the use of big machinery for mining of limestone, Tynsong said, “If that is the case then it will tantamount to complying with the environment Act and norms prescribed by the Ministry of Climate Change and Forest under SEIAA.”
The notification which was issued by Ministry of Climate Change and Forest says anyone who is dealing with mining activities as far as minerals is concerned needs to take environmental clearance from SEIAA, he said.
Meanwhile, Roy also wanted to know the reason behind the stopping the export of limestone.
To this, the minister replied that an order has been issued because the government has to comply with the court’s order which directed that 10 per cent from the sale has to be collected from the exporters or landowners as reclaimation fund, which has been created and export has already started.- By Our Reporter
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