Shillong ,April 16: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said that changing national mining laws to suit the state’s needs is not a simple process, pointing to the challenges of creating exceptions within a country-wide legal framework.
Responding to questions on the 100-hectare land requirement for coal mining, Sangma explained that laws framed by the Government of India apply uniformly across the country, making state-specific changes difficult.
“When laws are made, they are meant for the entire country. It is not easy to create separate provisions for one state alone,” he said.
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He noted that if special exemptions are granted to one state, it could lead to similar demands from others, complicating the legislative process. The Chief Minister also said the state government is actively engaging with the Centre to seek possible amendments.
“We are working towards finding a solution and have taken up the matter with Union Ministers and even the Prime Minister,” he added.
On the issue of open cast coal mining, Sangma acknowledged that the method comes with both benefits and concerns.
“There are advantages and disadvantages. That is why a proper mining plan is required, under the supervision of central authorities,” he said.
He also pointed out that the debate around open cast mining is not limited to Meghalaya, but is being discussed globally.
Even internationally, there are ongoing discussions on whether open cast mining is the best approach, he said.
The Chief Minister said that while efforts are ongoing, any changes in policy will take time due to the complexity of national regulations.
