Meghalaya Rajya Sabha MP Dr Wanweiroy Kharlukhi on Thursday urged the Centre to fast-track scientific coal mining in the state, citing concerns that the National Green Tribunal’s 2014 ban has contributed to a rise in drug smuggling in former mining areas.

Speaking during Zero Hour, the National People’s Party MP highlighted the ban’s impact on thousands of families dependent on coal for their livelihoods. He said, “Coal caters to the needs of thousands of families in the state. Right to earn is the fundamental right of every citizen, and I feel my people have been deprived of that right.”

Dr Kharlukhi noted that the ban also affected autonomous district councils, which relied on coal revenue, leaving staff unpaid for months. Before the ban, the state government collected over Rs 600 crore annually through coal cess to fund education, but collections dropped to zero after 2014, leading to protests by teachers over unpaid salaries.

He supported Assam MPs’ calls for amendments to the Sixth Schedule to strengthen Northeast district councils. While welcoming the government’s decision to allow scientific mining, Dr Kharlukhi raised alarms over a recent surge in drug smuggling in coal block areas, urging authorities to act to prevent Meghalaya from becoming a corridor for drug trafficking.