Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma inaugurated Meghalaya’s first ‘scientific coal mining’ project at Byndihati in the East Jaintia Hills district on March 17.
- The state chief minister inaugurated Saryngkham-A mine, terming the move to restart mining a ‘historic development’. “
- In January 2025, the Union Ministry of Coal approved three coal mining leases: Saryngkham-A and Lumia-khi-Wah Sarang in East Jaintia Hills and Pyndeng-shalang in West Khasi Hills.
- Three escrow agreements were signed between Coal Controller, Government of India and private project developers.
- Sangma congratulated mine owners in the state for making the shift to ‘scientific mining’ from the age-old rat-hole method that claimed over 30 lives in Meghalaya.
- The rat hole mining was banned by the NGT in 2014.
- Before the ban, Meghalaya was earning around Rs 700 crore annually from coal mining.
- However, the Supreme Court of India lifted the ban in 2019 following which ‘scientific mining’ using the open cast technique was proposed.
