SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has stated that the government has received 36 applications for scientific coal mining in the state.
Of these, four applications have secured prior approval for a mining lease, while 13 have received previous approval for a prospecting license.
Sixteen applications are still awaiting approval for a prospecting license, and three have been withdrawn.
In a reply tabled in the Assembly on Thursday, the chief minister said 4 applicants have submitted their mining plans, which are currently under review by the authorities.
CM Sangma further said that as per norms set by the Central government, the minimum area required for obtaining a prospecting license is 100 hectares.
Commenting on the illegal mining practices, Sangma emphasized that rat-hole mining cannot be classified as scientific mining.
Notably, in April 2014, the National Green Tribunal(NGT) imposed a blanket ban on coal mining and transportation in the state of Meghalaya.
Apart from the impact on the economy, the ban severely crippled the lives of thousands of citizens dependent on the mining sector.
However, Conrad K Sangma-led MDA government provided much-needed impetus to revive coal mining in the state.
These efforts led to the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court on July 3, 2019, upholding the rights of the people of Meghalaya over natural resources.
The apex court held that private as well as community landowners have both surface rights and sub-surface rights, and minerals are owned by private and community landowners.
In a significant step towards initiating scientific coal mining, under the leadership of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the State Government has availed the approval of the standard operating procedures for obtaining a prospecting license and mining lease for coal in March 2021.
The scientific coal mining is aimed at ensuring minimal environmental impact through sustainable and legally compliant extraction procedures.
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As part of scientific mining, reclamation of coal mining areas and the use of advanced technologies, such as remote sensing, aerial surveys, and 3D modelling, would be prioritized and environmental impact would be mitigated significantly.
