SHILLONG: The former Chief Secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said that there were a lot of agencies involved in granting clearance to the setting up of cement plants in Jaintia Hills.
He was replying to a query by the media on how can he continue to be the expert member of National Green Tribunal while it was during his tenure as Meghalaya Chief Secretary that cement plants were given permission to operate in Jaintia Hills.
Earlier , the matter was also raised by RTI activist Michael Syiem during the advocacy meet on environment issues held by the Tribunal here on Thursday.
Replying to queries raised by the media, Chatterjee said that so many people were involved in granting permission to the cement companies.
“The entire Government of Meghalaya is involved -the directorate level, minister level, secretariat level, Chief Minister level, and ultimately the Union Minister of Environment and Forest gave both environmental and forest clearance to the plants”, Chatterjee said. If they (cement plants) obtained permission, they can operate, if they have not obtained, they cannot set up plants and it is improperly set up, it can be examined as it is an open book, he said. To a question on whether the appointment of Chatterjee is justified, the Principal Secretary in charge forest and environment MS Rao said, “You should ask the question to the President of India who appointed him and not him”.
