Meghalaya Agrovet Private Limited
SHILLONG: The Congress led opposition in the KHADC has demanded the immediate cancellation of the trading licenses of the Meghalaya Agrovet Private Limited for violation of the environmental norms for carrying out unscientific poultry farming by discharging the waste directly into the Umtrew River in Ri-Bhoi district.
While moving a motion on the issue on the third day of the Council Summer Session on Wednesday, Mawhati independent MDC James Sylliang said that the Meghalaya Agrovet Private Limited which operated a big poultry farm at Mawthei village has failed to construct a sewerage treatment plant to prevent waste from flowing into the river.
“Umtrew River is one of the biggest sources of drinking water for many villages but the unscientific poultry farming of the firm may cause many a health hazard for the local people of villages,” he said.
Sylliang also said that the people of the villages who are affected by the unscientific poultry farming favoured the closure of the firm for protection of the river.
“The trading license of the firm should be cancelled for violating the environmental norms,” Mawhati independent MDC said.
Sylliang also said the firm is another name of Amrit Hatchery Private Limited (AHPL), which closed down its operations in the state, who has a common local director -Bhalang Phanbuh.
“This firm has come to the State to exploit the local people. The firm has contributed nothing which will be for the good of the State,” he said.
Supporting the motion, Sohra Congress MDC Donevan Wahlang said that the Executive Committee (EC) should cancelled the trading license of the firm since it has failed to serve the interest of the local indigenous people.
“The firm is not doing any good to the local farmers. The main intention of these firms to set up their business in the State was to exploit the local farmers” Wahlang said.
In reply, KHADC CEM Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that the EC has already constituted an inquiry committee against the firm. “We have notified the inquiry committee on June 23. The inquiry has been asked to submit the report within 15 days,” Basaiawmoit said.
Stating that he understands the sentiments of the members of the Council who wants the immediate cancellation of the trading license, he said that the EC however would like to go deep into the matter before taking a final call against the firm.
“I would like to assure that the EC would act as per the findings of the inquiry committee. We would not hesitate to cancel the trading if we found that the firm is at fault,” Basaiawmoit said.
Meanwhile, he informed that the EC had cancelled the trading license of the AHPL on June 3 2014.
“We have cancelled the trading license after the firm had closed its operations since last year,” KHADC CEM informed.