Shillong Jan 13: A group of social activists on Sunday released the citizens’ report on coal mining in Meghalaya and the report was submitted to the Supreme Court seeking a stop to coal mining in the state as it benefited only few rich people, but not the poor families.

The report was released in the presence of social activist, Agnes Kharshing, Amita Sangma, Angela Rangad, Patricia Mukhim, Michael N. Syiem, and others.

The report titled, “Curse of unregulated coal mining in Meghalaya” also urged the Supreme Court to consider it for hearing on Tuesday.

Rangad told reporters that the report was compiled in two volumes by a group of social activists and the same was endorsed by many citizens.

Rangad informed that the report has been compiled by substantiating facts and figures based on information received under the RTI Act, 2005, reports of the Comptroller Auditor General of India, research papers, affidavits filed by different individuals, and besides reports published in various newspapers.

She said that the report was prepared after collecting various reports related to mining and transportation of coal especially after the ban was imposed by the National Green Tribunal on April 17, 2014.

“The first volume of the report was submitted to the Supreme Court in December last year and the second volume was submitted last week with a request to the Apex Court to accept the report when the hearing on the matter related to coal mining in Meghalaya comes up on Tuesday,” Rangad said.

The citizens’ report begged the Supreme Court that coal mining should be stopped in order to give back poor people an opportunity to find their way for sustainable livelihood.

Rangad said the report also challenged the claim that the ban on coal mining has affected the livelihood of many people in Meghalaya.

“The fact remains that only few rich people are benefiting from coal mining. Coal mining not only that it destroys the environment and pollute the rivers, but also allows the rich to grab community land, and it did not generate much revenue for the state. Coal mining leads to absolute degradation of environment, extortion, criminal activities and mafia raj,” Rangad said, while referring to alleged grabbing of people’s land for mining by mafias in East Jaiñtia Hills district.

Rangad argued that if coal mining has benefited all sections of people, then why poor people were exploited and suppressed, and many households become landless because of mining activities.

She also questioned as to how extracted coal did not finish since 2014 till date.

“Till last week it was claimed that the quantity of the remaining extracted coal is 5 lakhs metric tons,” Rangad said, while asking why revenue on coal disappeared, and why there was leakage of revenue.

Rangad said that after the ban by the NGT, there was assessment of extracted coal and the actual quantity was 65 lakhs,81 thousand,147 metric tons, though the mine owners claimed about 120 lakhs, 94 thousand, 634 metric tons.

“The extracted coal never exhausted and this happened because coal mining has been going on not only in East Jaiñtia Hills, but in other coal-rich districts of the state,” Rangad said while stating that the NGT committee has also found this.

Rangad also demanded that the Rs 100 crore penalty imposed by the NGT on the Meghalaya government, should not be taken from the fund meant for restoring the environment but it should be from those officials and others who violated the law.

Rangad informed that the report has mentioned that in every one square km of the area, there are 52 coal mines and there are 24,626 coal mines in Jaiñtia Hills.