Shillong, May 11: Former chief minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday blamed the NPP-led MDA government for not taking care of small miners as the notification relating to granting prospecting licenses and mining lease only serves the purpose of certain groups.
As per the notification, to carry out mining, there should be a minimum of 100 hectares.
Speaking to reporters, Mukul said through such notification, the government wants to thrive on illegal mining.
Mukul pointed out that in 2012, the then government had framed ‘Meghalaya Mineral Development and Regulation Policy, 2012’ which had mentioned that “mine owners having land measuring 5 hectares can proceed with obtaining the mining lease”.
“But what has happened today? Today, this present government came up with a notification which was designed to deprive our people. We all know our people, our clans have distributed all these mines among their different families and different beneficiaries who belong to the Elaka or the Hima or the Akhing land. Now we all know when the distribution has taken place, somebody maybe having 5 hectares and somebody maybe having 20 hectares,” he said.
He said the report of BP Katakey on missing coal has vindicated his stand on the matter
“The report had indicated contrary to what the government had claimed of having 32 lakh metric tons of coal lying in different coal bearing districts, on my ground analysis and various methodologies adopted including areal assessment of these coal stocks, it will not cross more than 19 lakh metric tons,” he said.
‘Pala praises MDA to join NPP’
Mukul also said the Congress leader Vincent Pala’s statement praising the government for addressing the concern regarding the “high level” is a reflection that he wants to join the National People’s Party (NPP).
Pala recently praised the Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong for ending the “high level”, which is alleged to have involved in the illegal transportation of coal in the state.
“I appreciate Tynsong for changing the “high level” to a “zero level” as of today. Since Tynsong took over the Home (Police) department, there is no more ‘high level’,” Pala had said.
In response, Mukul said, “These are shameless politicians. They benefit from all these illegalities by playing to the gallery.”
“What was he (Pala) saying before the elections? And today he has to somehow create a kind of a situation where maybe he wants to join the NPP. Maybe that is the reason he is giving this statement to get hurdles cleared. I have no reasons to doubt about that intent just watch it I am telling you,” Mukul said.
