Moa Jamir
The NPCB’s warning on coal mining needs utmost attention “Blessings can sometimes turn out to be a curse if we fail to utilize them in a proper way,” warned a booklet published by Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) entitled ‘Study of Coal Mining Areas in Nagaland and Its Impact on Environment’ highlighting widespread environmental degradation and health hazard caused by unrestricted and unscientific mining in Nagaland.
A laudable and bold effort on the part of NPCB as governmental agencies is perceived, and often rightly so, of being in complicit with perpetuation of maladies prevailing in the state. Carried out in 48 mining sites in four districts- Mokokchung, Mon, Longleng and Wokha, it observed that majority of active mines are seasonal, practiced unscientifically in most cases by the individual landowners or in collaboration with contractors and businessmen outside the state.
Without going much into details, it concluded that the adverse environmental damage was a ‘clear and present danger,’ having dramatic ramifications for the bio-diversity and well-beings of the people if immediate course corrections were not implemented.
The study also seems to predate the Nagaland Coal Policy & Rules (First Amendment) 2014 which was notified in November 17, 2014 that amended the earlier Nagaland Coal Policy and Mining Rules, 2006. The amended bill, however, was an honest admission of grand failure of policy implementation, supervision and monitoring mechanism put in place to bring coal mining under the ambit of systematic development and check rampant illegal mining in the state.
Rampant and illegal mining activities have resulted in many types of accident, health hazards, ecological and environmental degradation besides loss of coal resources and leakages, it noted. It more or less confirms the NPCB findings and one can assume safely that the report though not publicly released then, was instrumental in its amendment.
It estimated coal reserves in Nagaland at 315.84 million tonne, with highest concentration in Mokokchung followed by Mon. The implication of illegal mining, in the context of the study, will be catastrophic if it continues unchecked.
On its part, the policy put harsher licensing and coal prospecting criteria harsher with Prospecting and Inspection Report; Mining Plan, Progressive Mine Closure Plan and Final Mine Closure Plan; Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMI) in place.
However, it seems inadequate insofar as the post-mining reclamation and regeneration is concerned. Not a single penalty or criteria is given for the prospectors or miners to follow once the prospecting ends; a common malady that plagues the previous policy.
Most alarmingly, while clipping the discretionary authority of the Village Council (VC), it put too much onus on them as the guardians of the policy. Among others, it has to ensure that the Company or Licensee causes minimum damage to environment, health and infrastructural development during the development stage of mining and checked illegal coal mining.
But issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) by Village Council directly to any person or company for undertaking coal mining within the village jurisdiction was stopped. It can only recommend the case to local administration for issue of N.O.C. after satisfying the “technical expertise and financial capability.” The VC also cannot claim any environmental damage or crop damage compensation from the State Government once they have recommended the case. This remains the most problematic provision that needs straightening.
The Department of Geology and Mining was also supposed to organise consultative programme, sensitization programme, public awareness programme etc. with the NGOs, Village Councils, Licensees, etc. from time to time. It must honour its duty.
Exploitation of Coal should be guided by long-term State “goals and perspective,” the Coal policy maintained. Ergo,the government should stop acting like a fly by night operator. Stricter implementation, supervision and monitory mechanism and awareness are imperative to curb the menace.
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