Meghalaya Govt to formulate Mining Policy

SHILLONG, Jul 31 (UNI) The Meghalaya government today decided to formulate a comprehensive Mining policy.

This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held this morning following a Supreme court directive to produced a status report on ecological imbalance due to imestone and coal mining.

Disclosing this to reporters, spokesperson of the MDA government Paul Lyngdoh said an expert committee, headed by Chief Secretary SK Tewari, would be constituted to draft the mining policy for Meghalaya.

''There is a need to have a fine balance between economic development and protection of the environment in the state, so this decision to have a state mining policy was taken today,'' Mr Lyngdoh stated.

Earlier, MMA, an ngo, filed a PIL to the apex court against the rampant mining activities in the state, which was threatening existing cave systems in Meghalaya.

The court had directed the Centre and Meghalaya government to suspend immediately all mining activities, cement factories and all other factories, which were endangering the Cave systems, built over a period of 40 to 45 million years in the state.

The MMA prayed for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to take all steps in terms of ancient monument and Archaeological sites and Remains Act 1958 to protect and preserve each cave system in India.

The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister's Office, the Secretary to Ministry of Environment&Forest, the Chairman of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Chief Secretary, government of Meghalaya and the Chairman of Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) among others have been made respondents.

Mr Lyngdoh said the MDA government would file an affidavit to the court with regards to the PIL filed after the Chief Minister's meeting with MMA members.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister JD Rymbai has invited members of MMA for a meeting today to iron out differences.

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