**Meghalaya Chief Minister Announces Agreements for Scientific Coal Mining**
Shillong, Jan 30 – Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on Thursday that the central government has entered into agreements with three miners in the state to initiate scientific coal mining in at least two districts. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had prohibited unscientific “rat-hole mining” and coal transportation in the region a decade ago. Subsequently, the Supreme Court permitted the transportation of coal that had already been mined and left exposed.
Sangma described the signing of escrow agreements as a “significant stride” in assisting coal miners to navigate the NGT ban. “Three escrow agreements were signed between the Controller of Coal, Government of India, and the project proponents for mining sites at Pyndengshalang in West Khasi Hills district, and Saryngkham and Lumiakhi Wahsarang in East Jaintia Hills district,” he stated.
An escrow agreement is a legal contract that specifies the terms under which an asset is held by a neutral third party (escrow agent) until certain conditions are fulfilled. In this case, Coal India Limited serves as the third party involved in the agreements signed on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister emphasized, “These agreements are a crucial step toward initiating mining operations. In addition to these three, 12 more applications are in advanced stages of approval. We are actively pursuing them with the support of the project proponents and the dedicated efforts of the Department of Mining and Geology.”
Sangma hailed the signing of these agreements as a significant achievement for the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance administration, stating, “As promised, our government has fulfilled its commitment to securing approval for scientific coal mining operations in the state by collaborating closely with the Ministry of Coal.”
The NGT banned rat-hole mining in 2014, a method that involves creating narrow tunnels, typically 3-4 feet high, for workers to extract coal. These horizontal tunnels, often referred to as “rat holes,” have been associated with numerous accidents and fatalities over the past decade. Prior to the ban, the coal mining industry was a major revenue source for the state, generating approximately ₹700 crore annually.
Following the ban, the Meghalaya High Court appointed a one-man committee led by former high court judge Brojendra Prasad Katakey to recommend measures in response to the NGT and Supreme Court verdicts. The Katakey committee has since made several recommendations in its reports to the high court.
