Another Mukul salvo at NPP-led govt
SHILLONG: A day after alleging corruption and nepotism in the implementation of the Rs 500-crore Saubhagya scheme in the state, Opposition leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma on Wednesday made another scathing attack on the MDA government accusing it of illegalities in allowing extraction and transportation of coal.
Addressing a press conference, Sangma recalled that one Pillarson D Sangma of East Garo Hills had written an open letter to the Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, alleging certain misinformation on the part of the state government regarding the extracted coal and a different quantity projected before the Supreme Court to ultimately facilitate illegal transportation of coal.
In the letter, Pillarson alleged that the state government had filed before the Supreme Court regarding 32 lakh metric tons of extracted coal for transportation whereas in reality not even 10 lakh metric tons of extracted coal exist on the ground.
Sangma said illegal coal mines were operating under the patronage of the chief minister and their focus is to ensure transportation of the illegally mined coal.
“It will be definitely pertinent, therefore, for me to take up the issue with NGT and the committee appointed by it to verify all those claims regarding the existing quantity of coal which, according to the government, have been verified by certain designated officers for the purpose,” Sangma said. He also said that the government had transferred a number of officials, who were supposed to implement the order of the NGT, repeatedly.
He also alleged that various offices like those of Commissioner of Transport and Directorate of Mining and Geology besides the police department have been compromised to facilitate illegalities.