The United Democratic Party (UDP), which is part of the Congress-led ruling Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA), has accused the Mukul sangma government of following the mining policies of Rajasthan and Jharkhand to prepare the first draft for the state mining strategy.

The party wants the government to change the nomenclature of the proposed guidelines from Meghalaya Mineral Policy, 2011 to Meghalaya Mining Policy, 2011. Referring to the controversy over proposed uranium mining in the state, the UDP has asked the government not to include "Mining of uranium in the Meghalaya Minerals Policy, 2011 as the government will be making its stand on mining of this mineral clear in the future".

Submitting the suggestions for the second draft of the mineral policy, UDP general secretary BG Momin wondered as to how the draftees took "inspiration from the Rajasthan and Jharkhand mining policy" as the land tenure system in the two states were different from the one followed in Meghalaya. Momin said, "In Meghalaya land belongs to people unlike in Rajasthan and Jharkhand where land is owned by the government". He argued that the "basic premise of drafting the Minerals Policy is wrong as the government in these two states owns the land unlike in Meghalaya where individuals and clans own both land and its minerals".

Suggesting that the mining of minerals should be guided by national and state goals based on the customary laws and rights of the indigenous people, Momin said non-renewable natural resources should be "wisely tapped" for the development of the state. Demanding the incorporation of the rights of the indigenous people under the Schedule Tribes and Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 in the Mining Policy, the UDP said that all economic activities should conform to the Meghalaya Land (Regulation) Act, 1972.

Pointing out that the first draft of the Minerals Policy, 2011 mentions the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 wherein it is mentioned that mining including underground mining is a non-forestry activity, prior permission of the central government should be made essential before mining leases are given. The suggestions also include taking into confidence the traditional heads and the district councils of Meghalaya before venturing into mining of minerals and also ensuring that 70 per cent of the stakeholders are local indigenous people.

• [Editor:editor]