SHILLONG, Nov 12: Leader of the Opposition Congress, Mukul Sangma on Thursday said that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is determined to defend and protect the allegations on illegal mining and transportation of coal and so the Opposition now is exploring other means to have a course correction.
“The facts and figures were presented in the house and if they deny what are they denying? You cannot hide facts and run away from the truth,” said Sangma
Stating that the chief minister seems to be very determined to defend and protect the allegations, he questioned, “ Why is so determine to protect it and say that nothing is happening there is no illegality. Why?”
Pointing out that that was 1 41,000 mt of coal in West Jaintia Hills and now hardly 15 to 16000 mt of coal is left, he questioned, “ Where have all the coal gone”?
Referring to the Supreme Court Judgement of July 03, 2019, he said that this proves beyond reasonable doubt the veracity of the available records.“We have gone and seen and the records says that 1,41000 that means huge illegal mining has taken place during that period,” he said adding that those illegally mine coal which has been assessed was based on the order of the Deputy Commissioner, DMO which indicated that the 1,41000 coal have disappeared.
He said that one has to look at a larger picture here as there is a cartel working. “By cartel I mean you have to know that there powerful people involved and if we are saying cartel it is not confined within the boundaries of Meghalaya,” he said.
Pointing out that there are various media reports on illegal coal whether it about Barak valley, Kamrup or Goalpara in Assam, the Leader of the Opposition said that if it is compiled and recreated, the whole story from last two years will be seen like a mirror image and how it is well scripted.
To a query that a CBI probe has been ordered in Assam but not in Meghalaya, he said, “It will come as the whole cartel that is operating is not confined within the border of inter-state. It is beyond it and therefore I am saying there are other measures”.
“The first approach was to bring it to the notice of the government in the house we decided the best format available to us was in the form of no confidence motion we did it and we wanted the government to be really serious and have atleast some demonstration of realization and intent to have a course correction but that did not happen,” he said further adding that the opposition will be sitting together to take a call to move ahead and there are number of ways to do so.
