The MIPRL has asked all transporters of goods into and outside Meghalaya, all petroleum product tankers, limestone exporters and traders supplying the same within and outside the State/ country, all passenger transporters, transporters and carriers of inter-state goods for projects in other Northeast states, transporters of timber, cement, clinker and coal, among others, to support the economic strike call.
“The strike call will not affect private and small commercial vehicles within Meghalaya,” MIPRL vice chairman, Erwin K. Syiem Sutnga, said in a statement issued here on Friday.
MIPRL also said that the strike would not affect schools, colleges, offices, markets, transporters and traders of sand, stone and chips, which mean that there would not be any disturbance to normal life in general for the people of the State.
“All participation in the strike call should be through non-violence and there should be no deviance from democratic protests,” MIPRL said.
MIPRL also called upon trade unions, associations and government employees, banks and financial institutions to lend support to its strike call.
The strike, however, will not hamper essential and emergency services in the State, it said.
Sutnga said that the situation in the State arising out of the blanket ban on coal and sand by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given way to a situation where the Government of Meghalaya has failed to address the needs of the mining sector.
He said that the Movement had submitted a list of ten issues to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya and ten days’ time was given to the Government to start addressing the same.
However, there was no response from the Government and during the September 16 NGT hearing, it was expected that the Government would make a prayer for relaxation of the guidelines especially in relation to the collection of royalty.
“Nothing of the sort was pleaded before the NGT and we are faced with the prospect of an intractable attitude and continuous impositions of harsh and anti-people conditions by the Government of Meghalaya which continues to play around with the lives and survival of lakhs of people who now are facing financial privations and dire straits, hence the MIPRL has decided to call for an indefinite economic strike,” Sutnga said.
According to Sutnga, the economic strike call is a democratic means to stage a peaceful and non-violent protest against the blanket ban of coal and sand by the NGT and the Government complicity in the same.
MIPRL also called upon all affected people to support the economic strike call apart from those directly affected.
Sutgna said that notice has been given to the Chief Secretary regarding the strike.
He said that the economic blockade will be pursued in a peaceful manner in line with the traditions of Gandhian principles of protest and MIPRL will neither support nor condone any act of coercion, use of force, threat or violence, arson leading to loss of private and public property, loss and injury of life and limb.
The MIPRL reiterates “the need to implement Para 12 A Sub Para (b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India to protect the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Peoples’ inalienable and absolute rights over tribal land and our unique land holding system and traditional rights and customs. This demand includes the modification of all central laws applied to the state of Meghalaya done without recourse to the mandatory provisions of Para 12 A Sub Para (b) and (d)”.
The main issues to be addressed are the arbitrary imposition of conditions in the guidelines evolved by the NGT Committee under K.S. Kropha, Additional Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, especially in relation to the collection of royalty based on the unmodified Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 amongst other conditions which are oppressive and arbitrary
“It is a fact that the State Government owns only about 5 per cent of the total land in the State. Royalty is paid for use and exploitation of land, minerals, among others, to the owners which in this case are the tribal people of Meghalaya”, Sutnga said.
Another demand is the immediate address of the economic hardship of the poor and those badly affected in the coal belts and also the relief measures to be undertaken by the Government.
“Working out a moratorium on payment of installments of loans from banks and other financial institutions, private financiers availed by people in the mining sector among others were also demanded in the letter addressed to the Government on September 3 giving 10 days’ time , but in vain,” Sutnga said.
Meanwhile, the indefinite strike call is expected to cause undue sufferings on the people, especially with the festive season round the corner.
With the proposed blockade on transportation of goods to and from Meghalaya from September 23, supply of essential commodities to the State could be severely affected, leading to shortage of such commodities in the markets, which may directly cause rise in prices of the goods.
Source: The Shillong Times
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