By Marbianglang Rymbai
Apropos the letter, “The time to act is Now” by Samuel Swett (ST Jan 5, 2020), the writer’s views are correct but how? When leaders have hearts of stone and unyielding mindsets, no law, nor facts nor science would suffice. Let us go back to where it all began, almost 24 years ago. How come leaders equipped with officers of relevant fields were blind to the fact that (1) a giant cement plant is far less of a guzzler than those of the power of 9? This is pure economics. (2) What survey was carried out to leave Khadoom plundered by 9 cement power plants competing with one another to rob the whole of Narpuh? (3) 9 cement plants in a radius of 6 km is a disaster in itself. With 9 cement plants the electric energy to run the kiln, loading platform, the electrostatic precipitator (chimney) etc. is 154 Mega Watt per hour for 1 month. For layman, a moderate house of lighting, geysers, fridge musical instruments, TV’s, would consume 600KW/hr. In rupees the bill will be Rs 1,800 more or less. So dividing the 154,000 KW hr by 600kw hr, will give us the number of households that will enjoy the electricity spent by the 9 cement plants.
We now have regular load shedding and power rationing at precise timings that we don’t need to use a table clock any longer to know the time. The intensity of guzzling could be read daily if one consults, The Shillong Times’ Umiam Water Level at the column on the front page of the paper. The drop is mainly due to the 9 cement plants, plus steel plants at Byrnihat. But with charcoal ban in our state and no more supply of junk steel, the junk few steel plants have left Meghalaya for good. The NGT ban on coal mining took effect in April 2014. What surprises me is where the cement plants get coal from. Of course nothing can be hidden for too long. The Ksan mine tragedy exposed the illegality of coal mining which could not be hushed up anymore as of the 16 miners, 3 were Jaintias, which means ‘locals also lost their lives.’ Leave alone those bad old days when a 1210 S TATA carried 35 tons from coal belts, of which 9 tonnes is offloaded on our mother earth at Mookyndur and 40 tons at Beltola after Drip at Nongpoh Umling Slope for Rs 20. Now the CM says there is no illegal coal mining!
The mined coal is 34.2 million MT. Sohshrieh, Puriang gradients have heavy traffic jams of coal trucks daily. I have no computer to ease my mind. The enforcement personnel are relieved and satellites have replaced them. What can satellites do when coal turns so precious to be covered by a tarpaulin? On December 2019, the documentary in the South India Dalmia Cement Plant was full of promises of Green India. But one environmental activist proved them wrong. Cement plants’ carbon foot print is 3 times that of the worlds’ airlines. And airlines last month had banned fuel tankering. (You cannot load fuel more than needed). Concerned scientists are right now planning the alternative for cement even as the NHAI is planning to do more expansion on roads and buildings. Concerned deeply of the fish killer Lukha which turns blue, a group of teachers of Zoology department of a college rushed to the river. The pH was 3.5 (7 is neutral) and PPM (Part per Million) was only 4. A mahseer needs 7 and more to breathe. Of course the trip was more of environmental concern than anything else. For the interest of the Government they have submitted the report to the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB).
Naturally, the findings were not encouraging for the Government in the back drop of its full support to the cement plants. We cannot blame the officers because the pressure put on them is immense. To be red- carded is unwise. Equally disappointing was the conduct of the present wild life division of the Forest Department. After the appeal by the citizens of Brishyrnot, Lumshnong, etc. the Wild Life Division then was kind enough to concede 8 km radius with 2 km left to the eco- sensitive zone. Now it remains to be seen if the present Wild Life officials will allow their office to work in the interests of wild life or of the cement plants. The cement plant in the first hearing had shown its determination to go into the zone with threats of blasting also. About this I do not worry so much because I have not heard a deer barking in the forest for quite a long time. So cement plant or not does not matter much now as Khadoom will soon cease to exist with the way we are treating it right now. One company (not the star), to please the locals has two lists of employees. One is the MCL and the other is Clan list where 90% of locals are employed to certify their love for locals. In the last East Synod 2019, the Star Cement sponsored Bisleri Water to all the faithful. They overstepped their limits when they wanted to sponsor the banner also. But a few marvellously good Christians tore it off.
It is sad that while GOI is doing its all best to combat the CO2 emission with appreciable policies like PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade) and ES Certificates, to encourage the obedient and to punish the culprits, our Meghalaya is committing one environmental crime after another. Before Mr Swett could lament on the change of goal post by members at Brishyrnot I already knew it from a betrayed voice. I consoled him by reminding him of U Tirot Sing and u Woh Kiang Nongbah who were both victims of our people’s lust for money. In the final analysis it is our DNA that is at fault. Happy and blissful are those who are not slaves to freebies and enticements. Many it seems are ready to sell off everything! Lastly, I feel I am just wasting my time and ink for as always those who should listen are as dumb as the graveyard and lost to eternity or they do not have time to read at all.