Shillong, April 17 -- The Meghalaya government is pursuing amendments with the union government to make the 100-hectare land coal mining condition more feasible for small miners, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma informed.
Several coal miners and land owners are demanding that the state and central governments relax the standard operating procedures (SOPs), notified on March 5, 2021, which mandate a minimum of 100 hectares of land for granting scientific coal mining licenses.
Jaintia Hills Public Coal Miners, Dealers and Suppliers Association argued that the SOP prevents miners with smaller plots of land from carrying out coal mining.
In fact, the association has filed a petition in the Meghalaya High Court, arguing that miners with smaller p...