Stating that the scientific open-cast coal mining is not feasible in East Jaintia Hills, United Democratic Party legislator from Khliehriat constituency Kyrmen Shylla on Monday advocated for underground mining of coal done scientifically, while maintaining that open-cast mining becomes nearly impossible when the depth is too high and pointing out that while open-cast extraction may still be feasible within 10 metres, coal deposits in East Jaintia Hills often extend beyond 10 metres and at times even reach depths of nearly 100 metres, making the system unviable in the district.
Talking to mediapersons in Shillong, Shylla said scientific mining should not be confined only to open-cast operations and maintained that underground mining, if carried out with modern safety measures and environmental safeguards, could also qualify as scientific mining while protecting the livelihood of thousands dependent on the coal economy.
“When it comes to scientific mining, there are many kinds of scientific mining. The scientific mining doesn’t only means open cast, scientific mining it even meant for the underground mining also. The technology what we have been using all those days that is though not 100% scientifically has been done but it is some science has been introduced in that also, but this just that, we need to bring it into a proper way of mining and then especially bring the safety measures for miners. So when you do something to protect the livelihood, especially to protect the lives out to miners and then to take out extract the coal in the proper way and then help the environment, that is scientific, it need not be only through open cast even the underground mining also can be done scientifically,” Shylla said.
Emphasising the geological realities of East Jaintia Hills, the UDP legislator said the depth of coal reserves in the district renders open-cast mining unviable in most locations.
“yes no doubt open cast mining is quiet difficult because the it is quite very deep down. So when depth is too high, it’s next to impossible open cast. Because if I’m not mistaken, if it is within 10 meter the depth still feasible for open cast mining but our depth is more than 10 meters, it is sometime even 100 meters. So this is not feasible for open cast mining in East Jaintia Hills,” he said.
Shylla further claimed that some open-cast mining activities had already commenced in certain coal blocks after licences were issued, but said mine owners were facing multiple operational difficulties.
“But still, I believed those who have already got the license, they know the reality of it. And as of now we have not seen that this contribute to the people. Open cast mining is already started in some blocks in East Jaintia Hills, few licences are given. Where it already started, quiet difficult, lots of challenges for the owners, so that’s why we requested the government and the authorities to do the needful by giving us a different way of mining,” he added.
Referring to the earlier coal extraction methods in Meghalaya, Shylla said changes in legal provisions and mining regulations would be necessary if underground mining were to be formally permitted under a scientific framework.
“Previously what we had done they call it a Rat hole mining, yes when we look into different act, a few changes need to be done and same way of mining if can be introduced which we can call it underground mining. So, I remember that we used to talk about the tunnel mining, even that also So is not tunnel mining, it has a different term, So for us most feasible mining is the underground mining,” he said.
The legislator also stressed the need for expert consultation and technical guidance to prepare a viable roadmap for scientific underground coal mining in the state.
“So for this, we need to find out and we need expert to give us to suggestion so that we can prepare that one needs to be done, so that the government will give us the rights to go ahead with the underground mining,” Shylla added.
