Shillong, February 05: Lime stone exporter from Meghalaya are worried, that Bangladeshi importer may stop importing lime stone from Meghalaya, due to state government un willingness to solved the problem, even the Meghalaya High Court has given the ruling that allowed traditional minning.
Export of lime stone from Meghalaya to the then erstwhile East Pakistan now Bangladesh during the British Regime got Limestone Minerals from the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District, Assam then, and now Meghalaya. The Export of Limestone to the then East Pakistan had been smooth and cordial.
The Transportation of Limestone in those days were through River ways, that is, by means of Wooden Country Boats. The system of working and Extraction of Limestone was by Traditional system of Mining and Extraction/Excavation. Of course, the production from the Quarry at that time had been less but the supply and the transportation of the same had been continuous. The Traditional system of working then had been manual in those Border Areas with Bangladesh.
The local Rural indigenous people living in the Border Areas in those days had been earning their sources of income for their life and livelihood had been from the Limestone working and activities the people in the Border Areas had no worries of their livelihood because they had been earning for their livelihood from the Limestone working and Activities as well as from Horticulture activities like orange plantation, pine apple plantation and the like.
But subsequently in the year 1954-55 the Orange plantation started deteriorating. Consequently the main occupation of those indigenous inhabitants had been Limestone Quarrying and Mining Activities in which they solely depend and have been continuing occupation till today.
It is found that the present system of Limestone and Mining and transportation for Exports have been subjected to various Rules and Regulations through imposition of various Rules and Regulations made by the State Government from times to times which place the working class in these Areas in difficulties. Because of the existence of these Rules and Regulations imposed by the Government Authorities result in the reduction of the production as this petty operators have no time to move here and there to meet and spent money to fulfill those terms and conditions required by the Government.
The Mines owners, operators, lessees have not been able to afford to meet the requirements of such Rules and Regulation imposed on them from time to time by the Government authorities. It is further found that those Mines owners, operators, lessees who are able to comply with those Rules and Regulations of the Government Authorities are found to create problems and difficulties to them by petty things.
Such Rules and Regulations are also responsible for the reduction in the number of the Mines, Quarry owners, and operators. This further reduced the production of the Minerals instead of increasing the productions. The present day requirement of this Mineral is large-scale production of the minerals bringing also large scale benefits in the form of Returns and Revenue to the Governments. The Governments are therefore expected to lay emphasis on more production of this Mineral in Order to ameliorate and mitigate the economic hardships and sufferings of the people particularly those living in the Border Areas as well as of the people of the whole State.
The Importers of Bangladesh have sounded to some Exporters in India that if sufficient Export of Limestone from this State(Meghalaya) in India is not forth-coming, the Government of Bangladesh have proposal to import the Minerals from other South East Asian Countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Java, Saiam, Sumatra, Etc. If such proposal of the Government of Bangladesh matures, the entire Border Areas with Bangladesh whose main occupation is limestone Quarrying and Mining will greatly suffer as their Limestone Products will not have markets in this Region as it is with Bangladesh.
Therefore the active consideration of the Government of Meghalaya in particular and the Government of India as well of matter in this connection is warranted for and urgently called for before it is too late in the interests and benefits of the people living in the Border Areas with Bangladesh as well as the State Government. It is worth mentioning here that Export is the main agenda of the Government of India.
The Government of India likes not only to improve the trade and commerce relations with the Government of Bangladesh being its neighboring country as well as with other Countries like Myanmar. Similarly our Chief Minister of Meghalaya has stressed the importance of having good and cordial trade and commerce relations with the Government of Bangladesh for which the people of State and those inhabitants in the border areas look forward for the coming into effect of trade and commerce relations at the earliest in this Region. Said Mr Stodar Dkhar in the press statement, the president of the Meghalaya Chambers of Commerce.
