Shillong, June 17: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home Prestone Tynsong has appealed to protesters on hunger strike in East Jaintia Hills over coal mining to end the fast and meet the government, saying the state has asked stakeholders to “wait for three months” while it pursues relaxation from the Centre.
“In fact, the government, through the Chief Minister, has already promised all stakeholders, ‘Please wait for three months’. The government will effectively try to follow up with the Government of India and also to get some kind of relaxation from the present form of the Act,” Tynsong said.
Addressing the hunger strike directly, he said, “So, therefore, I would request the person who is still on hunger strike to, instead of hunger strike, meet the government, meet the Chief Minister and get the clarification. I think that is important. It is not that you go for fasting and get the solution.”
The Deputy CM added that the state is working on a way out of the “chronic problem” created by current mining regulations.
“So, I request, please come out, meet the government and we will clarify everything. But right now, as I tell you, the government is working out how to come out from this chronic problem and from the present form of the rules, regulations and Act,” he said.
