Shillong, June 26: Ten years after a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order effectively halted coal operations and battered the East Jaintia Hills economy in 2014, the National People’s Party (NPP) renewed its pledge of “scientific mining” on Friday as it campaigns to win the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, asking voters for patience while a revival remains largely on paper.
Addressing a campaign meeting for NPP candidate Dr DRL Nonglait at Sutnga, local MLA Santa Mary Shylla appealed to residents to keep faith with the party, saying the state government is making progress in navigating the legal and technical hurdles needed to restart mining. Shylla described scientific mining as the only viable path forward and said authorities are working to meet strict environmental clearances and technical standards.
The coal industry, once the backbone of the local economy, has been paralysed for a decade. Officials and party leaders acknowledge that the shift from previous practices to regulated, “scientific” extraction requires complex approvals and engineering standards that have not yet produced large‑scale operations on the ground. Shylla urged people not to lose hope, saying the resumption will be gradual and tied to regulatory norms, and argued that open‑cast mining is not feasible in East Jaintia Hills.
Shylla credited Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar with leading the effort to facilitate a revival but conceded the work “cannot be completed overnight.” For many families whose livelihoods disappeared after 2014, that “overnight” promise has now stretched into a tenth year of uncertainty.
Making an electoral case for Dr Nonglait, Shylla said the next MP must be a strong voice in New Delhi to represent coal‑dependent communities and press the Centre for solutions tailored to Meghalaya’s needs. She also highlighted developmental neglect in villages along the Indo‑Bangladesh border, saying those geographically isolated areas require urgent policy attention and better representation.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/07/27/npp-banks-on-scientific-mining-to-win-coal-heartland/
Category: MEGHALAYA
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Publish Date: 2026-07-27 05:52:00
