With 11 more approvals, scientific coal mining is expected to grow in Meghalaya.

 Meghalaya Chief Minister  Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday stated that eleven additional miners are set to be granted mining opening permissions to start scientific coal minning in the state.

This is a significant progress in the state’s actions toward regulating and legalizing coal extraction processes according to the guidelines issued by the central authorities.

Presently, three of Meghalaya’s miners have already started coal mining through scientific processes sanctioned by the Ministry of Coal. As stated by the Chief Minister, the operations are underway and are confronted by problems mainly in the form of transporting the coal safely. The central government authorities, however, are pleased with the way these first scientific mining ventures are being executed.

“Three-miner coal mining in the state has begun scientifically after the Coal Ministry was impressed with the extraction work,” Sangma said, adding that the process is being strictly monitored for safety and compliance.

He also disclosed that scientific mining expansion is on the horizon, with almost a dozen additional miners set to get their permits shortly. “As per the latest news, around 11 more miners are on the verge of being granted the mining opening permissions,” Sangma informed. “I do not know the exact situation, but within a period of one or two months, we would be able to see 10 to 11 miners being granted permission to initiate scientific mining.”

The Chief Minister added that the majority of these new mining operations will be located in the East Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills districts—areas famed for their coal deposits and decades-long history of mining.

The shift to scientific mining follows years of criticism and environmental alarms over unregulated and unsafe methods of coal extraction in Meghalaya. The state government, under the central government’s supervision, is seeking to put in place a framework that guarantees environmentally friendly and law-abiding mining operations.

With the growth of scientific mining, the state seeks to reconcile economic growth with safety and environmental requirements to provide long-term benefits to the local communities and the overall economy.

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