Shillong, Feb 3: With coal mining finally going to resume after signing of agreements for three projects, chief minister Conrad Sangma has preferred to go slow in negotiations in favour of small-time miners keeping in view the larger interest.
The state government already had to do a lot of convincing with Government of India about the private and community ownership of land.
It was challenging for the government to make a special case for Meghalaya where the land tenure system is unique and unlike most other mineral rich states where government can exert its authority over such resources.
Following signing of the mining agreements that paved the way for resumption of legal mining operations, the chief minister said, “Now, the next step for me is to get the smaller miners also on board.”
The agreements were signed between the Controller of Coal, Government of India and the project proponents for mining sites at Pyndengshalang, West Khasi Hills; Saryngkham, East Jaintia Hills; and Lumiakhi Wahsarang, East Jaintia Hills.
There had been hundreds, if not thousands, small coal mine owners across the coal rich districts of Meghalaya till “rat-hole mining” was banned in the state 11 years ago.
The key hurdle for small time miners to get back to their job is the requirement of minimum 100-hectare area for conducting mining operations, which is the norm followed in other states.
Keeping in view the challenge in bending the norm in favour of small time miners of Meghalaya, the chief minister said, “We are concerned about the smaller miners, but we were at a crossroads from where we had to move forward in discussion with Government of India… we were not in a position to bargain too much.”
Referring to the bargains the state government made with the Centre on the land holding system, Sangma said, “We had to explain how land holding systems work in Meghalaya.”
“I did not have the luxury to bargain with Government of India on too many fronts,” he said.
Explaining the challenge of overcoming the “100 hectare” hurdle, he said, “This 100 hectare is again a norm throughout the country and Government of India’s policy.”
Reducing 100 hectare norm to 10 acre or even less is another bargaining point to be made with the Government of India, he said.
“If I push for that… I push too many things, and maybe nothing will go through,” he said expressing apprehension about spoiling the current relief of resumption of coal mining.
He, however, promised to place it before the Centre in the next level that 90% of the state’s miners are small miners whose interest had to be protected by reducing the land area criterion.
Still, he is against making the process more complicated for Government of India and preferred to go ahead with the current process before making a case for the small-time miners.
After discussions with Central officials, the government decided to “not be too much aggressive” and start the process of mining and continue the work for getting the small-time miners on board, he said.
“It was a very difficult decision but we did the right thing… scientific mining has started and three miners got the permission to start their mines,” he added.
