CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Meghalaya has moved a step closer to exploring the resumption of small-scale coal mining, with a technical team from the Union Ministry of Coal inspecting coal-bearing areas in East Jaintia Hills and the Khasi Hills to assess the feasibility of restarting operations under scientific, safe and environmentally sustainable practices. The team, accompanied by officials from the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL), the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and Meghalaya's Directorate of Mineral Resources, visited the mining areas last week as part of ongoing consultations between the Centre and the State Government to find a way forward for a sector that has remained suspended following the National Green Tribunal's ban. The latest inspection followed Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma's meeting with Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi on July 7, during which he raised the concerns of families dependent on coal mining for their livelihoods. The State Government has been exploring options to revive the sector while ensuring compliance with environmental safeguards, mine-safety standards and the applicable legal and regulatory framework.
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