32 applicants for coal prospecting license

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 22: At present, there are 32 applicants who have submitted their application as per the SOP issued by the Government on March 5, 2021, for the grant of a prospecting license for coal.

Out of these 17 applicants have received approval from the Central government and they are now in the exploration stage for generating a Geological Report before obtaining mining leases, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said in his reply to a starred question tabled in the Assembly on Friday.

Further, 4 out of the 17 approved applicants, after they have submitted their Geological Report, have received prior approval of the Central government for a mining lease in the State and the presentation of the Mining plan is completed and approval of the mining plans is awaited, he said while informing that 15 applicants are yet to obtain prior approval of the Central government for prospecting license.

HPC calls govt blueprint ‘unacceptable’

In a hard-hitting reply, sent today to the Government of Meghalaya’s blueprint for relocation of residents of Punjabi Lane, Shillong, the Harijan Panchayat Committee after multiple rounds of consultation with its members, has stated that the proposal of the government was “incomplete, unsuitable, unprepared, unfair and undemocratic.”

In an exhaustive 6-page reply sent to the Deputy Secretary of the Government of Meghalaya and to other concerned departments, the HPC letter reads, “There are serious lacunae, sweeping and undesirable conclusions in the approach and attitude of the High-Level Committee of the Meghalaya government.”

“We are absolutely devastated that since the formation of the new government, ministers, MLAs and certain groups have been making unnecessary remarks saying that the whole issue would be resolved within the month of April. What magical trick do they have up their sleeve to resolve the issue within days?  The matter is sub-judice and they are only paying lip service to respect for the judiciary. We will not buckle under political duress.”

“We have attended meetings of the government in good faith but the government is resorting to misinformation and disinformation through the media and at the meetings, the only attitude is to overawe us into submission to their proposal. The language of the political leadership is one of intimidation. They are putting our lives and properties at risk and making us vulnerable,” said HPC secretary Gurjit Singh.

The HPC has strongly alleged that the “entire exercise is an ill-founded relocation theory, which actually compels the resident citizens of the Punjabi Lane (Harijan Colony) to forego their rights, title and interest over whatever small land portion in the colony and to accept the prisons cells like accommodation being offered in the proposed Blueprint.”

Speaking to the media, HPC secretary Gurjit Singh reiterated that, “our original demands presented in the “Eight-point resolution” still stand and we will not buckle under political duress merely because it is convenient for the government to do so and simply because due to passage of time, the land has become a commercial goldmine.”

The Harijan Panchayat Committee which, despite all odds, has been spearheading a battle for rights of the residents since the last three decades, has in its detailed reply to the government said that the disputed land belongs to the Syiem of Mylliem, and not to the government and any attempt by the government to buy it is violative of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act.

With reference to the recent incident of 31 May 2018, the HPC has stated that “taking advantage of a stray case of discord, suddenly the “relocation theory” was resurfaced for political and vested interests. We have all the official documentation necessary to live as citizens at our ancestral land in Punjabi Lane.

The letter pointed out gaping holes in the government’s blueprint -area too small and proposed houses pigeonholes, official building guidelines violated, no roadmap of demolition of present structures, no public amenities and last but not the least no specification of title to the land and the houses.

“There are so many grey areas and gaps. The government must clarify about all such concerns and only then it can be taken up for consideration by the Harijan Panchayat Committee, without prejudice to our right to reject the proposal” stated Gurjit Singh while speaking to media personnel.

Deriding the government’s haste, the HPC remarked, “It has been held by the Supreme Court of India and other courts as well that the right to lead a dignified life is an inalienable right and provisions of housing cannot be such that it is inhabitable for residents to live there. In the light of such judicial pronouncements, the residents are entitled to a better resolution.”

In an earnest appeal to the government and people of Meghalaya, Gurjit Singh said, “the government must stop the witch hunt and allow us to build our houses and we can assure that the beauty of the area will be fully maintained and for this the residents have the full support of the Sikh community.”

“The residents of Punjabi Lane want to live with honour and dignity at the land of their forefathers and it would be improper to treat them as aliens. The solution to this should be peaceful, amicable, mutual and permanent, without trampling on our fundamental rights,” he added.

Govt assures stop to illegal coal transportation

Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong assured that the state police will ensure illegal mining and transportation of coal is stopped at any cost.

Tynsong told reporters that one needs to understand that even if the state police are present 24×7, criminal activities still keep on happening.

“We don’t know when the thief is coming to our house so you need to understand that. You know humanly speaking we are trying our best and we will make sure that illegal mining activities stop at any cost,” he said.

On the Meghalaya High Court’s order for the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to check illegal transportation of coal in Meghalaya, Tynsong however said the state police is equipped enough to handle the situation in the state.

“Let me assure the people of the state that the state police are equipped enough to handle any situation,” he added.

If the government would appeal against the court order, the deputy chief minister however said, “That I can’t say anything right now because in fact a letter has been sent even to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the concerned organization where ultimately they are not able to provide additional forces.”

On March 20, the Meghalaya High Court asked the CISF to indicate its readiness to check the illegal transportation of coal in Meghalaya.

While hearing a PIL, the Court was informed that the logistics to be prepared for the deployment of 10 companies of CISF would take at least four weeks. It was also informed that CISF will be proceeding on the basis that the deployment would be necessary for at least two to three years before the State augments its human resources to take over the task.

Since the selection of personnel, arrangement of even temporary accommodation and the like may require some time, it is hoped that a disciplined force as the CISF indicates within a fortnight from the date as to how deployment on the ground can be ensured within four weeks from today.

The Court had said that since the State had indicated plans to construct or otherwise provide accommodation for CAPF personnel, the State should cooperate in the process and provide basic accommodation to the CISF personnel, including the commandants of the companies.

It had also directed that CISF should identify or engage one or more persons to be in charge by rotation and said, “Such personnel should obtain an appointment with Justice Katakey and, in the presence of representatives of the State, work out the places and modalities for ultimately deploying the 10 companies.”

HPC yet to reply to Govt’s relocation proposal

The Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) is yet to submit its reply on the government’s proposal for relocating the 342 families of Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong despite the deadline served by the government has expired today.

“Officially we have not received (the reply of the HPC) yet,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters.

He however informed that the government may invite the HPC for discussion within this week.

“I have seen in the newspaper that they are going to meet us. Maybe this week itself, we will call and again discuss with them because we have already sent to them the blueprint so it is only a matter of decision to be taken by them as from the government side we have already presented to them all the details,” Tynsong said.

On March 16, the state government set a deadline for the HPC for submitting its reply by April 10, with regards to the proposal for relocating the Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong to the existing land of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).

The government had also turned down the request of the HPC to give another three months’ time to respond to the proposal.

The decision was also taken following an order of the Meghalaya High Court on February 16, asking the state government to immediately resolve the issue after the Assembly elections.

On September 29, last year the state government had presented the blueprint to the HPC during a meeting, which indicated its decision to construct multi-storey flats at the existing official quarters of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) for relocation of the 342 families.

The state government had completely rejected the April 25,2022-proposal of the HPC that 200 square meters of land be provided to each of the 342 families within the European ward besides bearing the cost of construction of their homes.