New Mineral Policy - A Changing Perspective and Vision: An Insight into Dynamics of Unscientific and Unregulated Mining in Meghalaya

Abstract

North-Eastern region of India being hilly is predominantly rural and about 80 percent people live in village and little over 75 percent workers are engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The agriculture in region is stagnating at subsistence level and the region has remained largely untouched by any noticeable development in last six decades. Therefore the development of the region has been linked with the development and regulated use of the natural resources and mining is one of the major components and its sustainability will depend on the scientific mining and sensible exploitation. Mining in Meghalaya is contributing to the growth and employment generation since century and has been undergoing structural changes, though at price unacceptable to the biodiversity and environmental sustainability. With the New Mineral Policy being approved by the cabinet and based on the fundamental of scientific and regulated mining, it is expected to bring new opportunities in mining sector though challenges and hurdles are waiting.The present study tries to throw some light on the unscientific and unregulated mining in Meghalaya and possible paradigm shift under the New Mineral Policy and develop a scientific mining regime based on sustainable environmental management, greater economic equality and community participation in accordance with commonly accepted notions and vision.