John F Kharshiing Points out Loopholes in Meghalaya Laws
Staff Correspondent
Shillong: The Chairman of the Grand Council of Khasi Chiefs John F Kharshiing on Monday pointed out at the alleged contradiction of the State in implementing the laws that has put the stone quarry and crusher operators of Meghalaya in a predicament.
Kharshiing has already dispatched a letter to the State Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on the issue related to the laws which he sees as something that is “inconsistent”. Requesting the State Government to pursue with the Union Government for the urgent amendment of the Coal Mines (Nationalization) Act, 1973 “that is not in sync” with the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement, Kharshiing said, “The government of India has agreed not to make laws over land in the Sixth Scheduled areas and now we have the Meghalaya Minor and Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 that contravened the same objective”.
“The official resolution of the Meghalaya legislative Assembly since 2015 has sought a presidential notification under para 12A (b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and it is with great concern that we have to highlight the errors and contradiction in the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 including the Form A- application for lease and royalty.” He asked, as to how the owner of land ask for a lease for his or her own self and pay royalty to himself too.
While the State Government came out with the rules to check random and haphazard quarrying that led to the environmental depredation, Kharshiing said, “There should be no compromise in the protection and preservation of the environment and eco system. The owners should rather be given mining permits that will enlist the dos and donts in their own land.
Kharshiing went on to say that certain vocabulary used in the text of government act and rules has thrown many small time owners of boulder quarries and crusher operators in a dilemma. Kharshiing also asked the Chief Minister to lead an all party delegation comprising of the 60 MLAs, 3 MPs and representatives of the traditional bodies to New Delhi to get an outright intervention from the Union Government.