With the Meghalaya Government collecting royalty from coal mines and limestone quarries to the tune of Rs 100 crore last year, the mining industry is witnessing a fast growth. And while the state Government has been planning a mining policy to regulate the industry, many “interested quarters” are reportedly trying to scuttle the initiative.Notwithstanding the claims of Mining and Geology Commissioner and Secretary Arindam Som that neither the coal mafia nor the Government is standing in the way of the policy, there have been indications that some parties are trying to push the draft policy in the cold storage.The media had been blaming the coal mafia for the inordinate delay in placing the mining policy before the Cabinet.However, Som has refused the allegations. He claims that the delay was because the concerned Central and state Government departments did not send their suggestions and observations to the draft policy.Interestingly, the proposed bill was well on track during the period when J D Rymbai was the Chief Minister. Assisting him was S K Tewari, the Chief Secretary. Both were known to be not easily influenced and dictated to by any “lobby” in the state.After, Rymbai was toppled and replaced by D D Lapang as Chief Minister and Tewari retired, Mining and Geology Commissioner and Secretary B Purkayastha and Director Hima Shangpliang were transferred to other departments. Now, the draft mining policy appears to be one of the least preferred agenda of the Government.Considering the growth in the industry, to have a policy in place has become a matter of utmost important in the state. Mining and quarrying are still carried out in an unscientific manner.Moreover, those working in the mines and quarries are exposed to many diseases but do not have an insurance cover. Many of the workers at these mines and quarries are also migrant labourers and are very poor.A mining policy is the only way that the state can regulate their working conditions.
