GUWAHATI: An environmental concern has been mining limestone in Meghalaya but royalty generated through it has helped the state's East Jaintia Hills district administration to gift an artificial turf to budding footballers.
The lush green turf was shining bright on Thursday at Khliehriat that is dotted black after years of rat-hole coal mining. This dangerous method of coal mining was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014.
The stadium, which underwent renovation, was inaugurated by Minister for Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Social Welfare and Excise Kyrmen Shylla.
This is perhaps the only football stadium in the Northeast where funds from the District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) were used to roll out the artificial turf.
District Magistrate Abhilash Baranwal told The New Indian Express the administration conceived the idea of artificial turf after considering the talent pool in the football-crazy state and the district.
"Companies undertaking mining in our district or any district pay the royalty to the state government. When they carry out the activities in our district, we get 30% of the royalty from the government," Baranwal said.
The administration spent over Rs 2.5 crore in the project. This includes the artificial turf, fencing, outside drainage, stadium lights and renovation activities, the DM said.
He said the district receives an annual revenue of Rs 5-6 crore annually in the form of royalty from limestone mining.
Official figures suggest the two districts in Jaintia Hills have 37.25 million tonnes of coal and 1,054 million tonnes of limestone deposits. Meghalaya has about 9% of India’s total limestone reserves.
"We get nothing from the auctioned coal mined before the NGT ban," Baranwal said.
Shylla was overwhelmed after inaugurating the stadium. The land was donated by his father, C Sympli decades ago.
A match was played between East Jaintia District Football Association and Combined Team of Headmen, Officers and Legislators. The combined team won it 4-3 in the penalty shootout after the match was levelled 3-3 in regulation and extra time.