Meghalaya: Skill development programmes for coal miners

The Meghalaya government has started providing skill development courses to those left jobless owing to National Green Tribunal's (NGT) ban on coal mining for alternative livelihood options.

As a part of the initiative, Meghalaya Skill Development Society and Aide et Action, an NGO has conducted a two-week-long community mobilisation drive in May, in which the affected people were encouraged to get training in integrated farming, service sector trades like hospitality, security guards, general duty, assistant, fashion designing, pottery and other native crafts.

"A considerable number of people participated in the awareness programme and the total reach-out is 1191 covering over 1606 households. Around 147 candidates registered themselves for various skill training programmes," said an official statement issued by the state government on Wednesday.

The NGT had issued a complete ban in 2014 on mining and transportation of coal mining keeping in mind the adverse impact on ecology and environment due to haphazard and unscientific mining practices.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, however, moved the Centre with a plea to regulate mining instead of a complete ban as it had caused a huge loss to the state exchequer and resulted jobless.

The state government drew much criticism after 15 miners got trapped in an illegal coal mine in West Jaintia Hills district in December last year. The state government, however, said many of those, who were left jobless due to the NGT's ban were clandestinely resorting to the illegal mining.