New way: Detect ‘unclaimed’ coal but not owner
SHILLONG: Former chief minister and Opposition Congress leader Mukul Sangma tore into the state government on Wednesday accusing it of creating a cartel for facilitating illegal coal mining and rebuking the chief minister for being in denial mode.
The charge comes a day after Chief Minister Conrad Sangma denied illegal coal mining is taking place in the state.
Addressing a press conference here, Sangma said that there is an attempt by the state government to scuttle the process of Lokayukta, which recently ordered CBI inquiry into alleged illegal coal mining and transportation.
“ We will not allow this to happen and will pressurise the government to ensure that the state is not defamed for corruption,” he said.
Stating that the issue of illegal coal mining was discussed among the party functionaries, he said that the Opposition would ensure that the government does not deviate from its responsibilities and those involved in corrupt practices are brought to book.
Slamming the chief minister for continuing to be in denial mode over illegal coal mining, he even suggested that government representatives, media and independent and political bodies could check what is actually happening on ground zero.
“Everyone knows what is happening … You go to Assam, there is a cartel involved in the irregularities depriving the state and autonomous district councils of the scarce resources and bringing a bad name to the state,” he said.
Asking the silent spectators to speak up, he recalled that there was a lot of demand for anti-graft law and now when it is here, it must to be allowed to take its own course.
He said people involved in the corrupt acts could not be allowed to go scot- free as there is enough evidence. He said the state Lokayukta is going into the matter as per law.
“None of the people involved will go scot-free and the officers should not be pawns in the hands of the cartel,” he said
Informing about a new complaint lodged with the NGT, the Opposition leader said that the government has found a novel way of facilitating illegal coal mining and transportation by seizing unclaimed coal.
Sangma alleged that the modus operandi of the government is that first it claims detection of unclaimed coal. Whenever there is any unclaimed asset, a process has to be followed to verify its owner. However, neither is any such verification done nor is there any public notice. He also said that notification for auctioning coal is issued around 15 days before, but it is advertised in the print media only a day before the auction. He also said that the response of the government should have been to go after the lawbreakers and not be in denial mode.
Expressing confidence that the inquiry ordered by Lokayukta will reveal everything, he also said that all should support it.