Shillong,June 17: Jaintia Coal Owners, Miners, Suppliers and Workers Association(JCOMSWA) met an official government team led by Chief Secretary Shakil Ahamed on Wednesday (June 17) on the need to reduce the mining areas from 100 hectares to 3 hectares to benefit the small miners.
However the government officials did not give any commitment on the matter.
The group will also meet the high-court appointed committee on coal headed by retired Justice BP Katakey on June 29
Wanshwa Nongtdu, who was party of the group from.East Jaintia Hills said the minimum area requirement for granting a mining lease must be amended and reduced from 100 hectares to 3 acres, allowing local indigenous landowners to apply for licenses independently.
Other members of the delegation spoke on the health of the leaders who are staging hunger strike on coal .
According to them, the hunger strike will continue.
The miners demanded mandatory transition from the destructive open-cast mining to controlled underground mining, time limits of 90 days and affordable fees for license processing, immediate financial support for affected families, enactment of a new mining and land holding act by the JHADC.
Comprehensive representation demanding the immediate opening of regulated coal mining, critical amendments to the Meghalaya State Mining Policy, an immediate ban on out-of-state coal entry, provision of financial support to affected families, and legislative intervention by the JHADC – regarding. immediate resumption of regulated coal mining, ban on the entry of coal.from other states to cement plants in the region and harmonization of the mining policy with traditional customary practices
