"We are bonded by our deep desire to preserve and protect our cultural and natural heritage, which is threatened by illegal mining, which is rapidly spreading throughout our state," a memorandum submitted to the governor by the Forum said.
The memo sought immediate moratorium on any new mines in violation of existing mining and environmental regulations even as it appealed to the governor to prevail upon the state government to implement the Central mining law.
Seeking identification of ecologically sensitive areas in the state, the Forum said such areas should be categorized as "hands off" and "no mining permitted".
In all other areas, where mining is permissible, such activities should be allowed only after due compliance with existing mining and environmental regulations, the memo demanded.
The forum argued that local land owners should legitimately have the first right over benefits accruing from mining unlike the current scenario, where all profits are cornered by a small minority, including non-locals. Local land owners could be helped to organize themselves into collective institutions that can seek leases from the Meghalaya Mining Development Corporation, it pointed out.
" Such a mechanism can ensure a win-win situation, where neither the law is violated, nor are legitimate local interests compromised," the memo read.
The Forum further emphasized that it was high time that the state government gave up its ostrich-like posture and begun to fulfill its constitutional obligation of upholding the law of the land.
Significantly, the answer to an RTI application filed by the Forum revealed that none of the mines operated by the locals in Meghalaya have lease or sub-lease, mining plans, safety features, forest or environmental clearances.
Through RTI applications filed in the Union ministry of coal and directorate of mineral resources, Shillong, the Forum has found out that Meghalaya has not been exempted from any mining laws of India. This is contrary to common perception that the state has been exempted from the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 and as amended in 1976 being the main law governing eligibility to mine coal, the memo to the governor brought to light.