SHILLONG, OCT 11: Twelve years after the NGT ban shut down coal mining in Meghalaya, the state is now inching towards a regulated restart.
A high-level technical team of the Union Coal Ministry, along with CMPDIL and DGMS officials, inspected coal-bearing areas in East Jaintia Hills and Khasi Hills last week, the Directorate of Mineral Resources informed on Saturday.
The visit was facilitated by the state directorate and is part of sustained talks between Shillong and Delhi to operationalise small-scale, scientific mining.
The push comes after Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma met Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi on July 7 and flagged the distress of coal-dependent families whose livelihoods have been hit since the 2014 ban.
During field visits, the central team studied existing mining practices and examined whether operations can be resumed safely and sustainably within the legal framework.
Later, in a meeting with senior state officials, the team discussed bottlenecks faced by local miners and what a Meghalaya-specific model for scientific mining would require — factoring in the state’s fragile geology and community land ownership.
Reiterating his government’s stand, Chief Minister Sangma said, “Our government is committed to exploring viable options to restart coal mining in Meghalaya, balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility. By working together with the Ministry of Coal and local miners, we can develop a framework that ensures sustainable, safe and scientific mining operations.”
The government said more assessments and consultations are expected in the coming weeks as the Directorate of Mineral Resources continues to coordinate with the Centre to take the process forward.
