Shillong, April 2: A public rally will be held by the miners on April 7 at Khliehriat, East Jaintia Hills for a mining policy suitable to traditional land tenure system in the state.
President of the Jaintia Coal Miners and Dealers Association Borrin Shadap told reporters on Thursday that the state and the Central governments should formulate a scientific mining policy tailored to the region’s unique land tenure system and geological conditions.
“We want the state government to engage with the Centre to implement scientific mining that suits our people’s practices,”Shadap said.
“The lifting of the ban by the Supreme Court is a welcome move, affirming our rights as landowners under the Sixth Schedule”, he said.
Member of the association Sambormi Lyngdoh pointed out the environmental concerns and practical challenges of open-cast mining in Jaintia Hills.
“Open-cast mining isn’t feasible here; we need a policy that considers our terrain and land ownership patterns,” he said.
The purpose of the rally is to urge the state government to constitute a committee to survey land conditions and draft a policy addressing the concerns of small-time miners.
“We need a policy that works for us, not against us,” Lyngdoh said.
The association has urged all the stakeholders, including coal miners, truckers, and workers, to join the rally.
“We want to show we’re committed to responsible mining, not illegal activities,” Lyngdoh added.
