SHILLONG, July 4: Coalition partners have mounted pressure on the National People’s Party, demanding an independent probe into the illegal mining and transportation of coal as well as alleged misuse of central funds in the autonomous district councils (ADCs) of Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.
After the BJP and the United Democratic Party, the Hill State Peoples’ Democratic Party (HSPDP) has stepped up the demand for a probe.
“We need to look into the illegal mining and find out the facts through an independent probe for this to stop,” HSPDP chief KP Pangniang said on Sunday.
He said one cannot be in denial mode and the recent mishap at Krem Ule is a testimony to the illegal activities.
But while an independent inquiry is a must, the state government should give equal importance to legalise mining through scientific means, Pangniang said.
“We urge the government to find ways and means to let the people get an opportunity to mine coal again through legal means,” he added.
Recalling that Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had assured in and outside the state Assembly efforts were on to curb it, the HSPDP chief said: “We believe him and want that such illegalities should not take place.”
On the alleged misutilisation of central funds in the GHADC and the JHADC, Pangniang said, “The HSPDP always wants clean governance and administration and we welcome whatever laws can be used to check the irregularities.”
He said his party would welcome an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation, adding that the HSPDP backs the BJP’s demand for an independent probe.
Referring to the five-year audit ordered by the state government, Pangniang favoured waiting for the outcome. “Otherwise, we can go for a CBI probe,” he said.
The BJP had alleged misutilisation of central funds under the Special Assistance Grant in the JHADC and GHADC. The party has been preferring an independent probe to the audit of five years of accounts of the two councils.