Shillong: Mining leases for three blocks of coal were granted in the hills of East Jaintia of Meghalaya by the Union Ministry of Coal in a major boost for the sector in the state after a ban was imposed by the Tribunal National Green (NGT) in 2014, officials said on Friday. The mining leases were granted on behalf of Labor Lyngdoh, a resident of Rymbai village, and Dapmain Shylla of Byndihati village, according to state mining and geology officials.

Labor and Dapmain are partners of coal barons Nehlang Lyngdoh and Thomas Nongtdu, they said.

In a statement, Labor Lyngdoh and Dapmain Shylla praised Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for keeping the election promise and expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi.

“The work on the preparation of the mining plan will start as soon as possible and we hope that by the beginning of 2022 or by March 2022, the opening of the mines should take place and that the production of coal will start again. of Jaintia Hills in these three blocks, ”he added. said the statement.

“This time we are fortunate to have a dynamic and far-sighted young Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma Ji, who worked very hard to lift the ban, and today is a historic day for the people of Jaintia Hills.” , he added.

NGT’s ban on coal mining in the Meghalaya has displaced thousands of families dependent on the sector, the statement said.

In July 2019, the Supreme Court lifted the ban imposed by the NGT after marathon hearings.

The SC had in its order mentioned that in Meghalaya, the tribal people who are the local residents own their land as well as the minerals below their land.

He had said that if the coal mining is carried out under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and the mining concession rules of 1960, the ban imposed by the NGT will not apply.

On May 6, the Ministry of Coal authorized the start of mining in Meghalaya by approving five requests for coal extraction submitted by the state government.

The approval was given after two months of development of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for coal mining in Meghalaya, 2021 by the state government.

The Coal Ministry ultimately granted leases to two of the five applicants, officials said.

Several miners have been killed after being trapped in illegal coal mines in the state over the years.