Guwahati, July 30: Meghalaya witnessed its first-ever commercial transportation of scientifically mined coal today.
Two coal-laden trucks—one bound for Bihar and another for Uttar Pradesh—were ceremonially flagged off at 17th Mile, Byrnihat, near Guwahati, by a traditional Khasi king.
The consignment came from the Saryngkham-A coal mine at Byndihati in East Jaintia Hills, operated by leaseholder Dapmain Shylla. The mine, inaugurated on March 17 by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, is the first among the state’s newly approved scientific coal mining projects. Officials said this move is expected to significantly reduce India’s dependence on imported coal.
This milestone follows agreements signed in January 2024 between the Centre and three miners from Meghalaya. It also marks a new chapter after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a blanket ban in 2014 on unscientific rat-hole mining, citing grave safety and environmental hazards. The ban, which led to multiple mining-related fatalities in the Jaintia Hills, was lifted in 2019 after the state successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to allow scientific mining.
Local traders expressed optimism, saying the move would boost the regional economy and bring transparency to the sector. For years, illegal coal trade was rampant, with traders reportedly forced to pay nearly ₹3 lakh in “goonda tax” to move coal through Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar. The new system, backed by legal GST documentation, is expected to eliminate such practices.
Prior to the 2014 ban, Meghalaya’s coal industry generated nearly ₹700 crore annually. So far, the state government and Coal India Limited have appointed 12 leaseholders to undertake scientific mining operations, a development that officials say will curb illegal mining and ensure sustainable extraction.
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