SHILLONG, Aug 6: The East Jaintia Hills district administration has taken steps to close down the illegal coke factories operating under Elaka Sutnga.
Deputy Commissioner Ethelbert Kharmalki said there are 30 illegal coke factories that are yet to obtain either the Consent to Operate (CTO) or the Consent to Establish (CTE) from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB). Six factories have obtained the CTEs from the MSPCB.
All the illegal factories will have to be closed down immediately, he said.
Kharmalki said the coke factories have claimed they are not burning coal and the smoke emanating from them is due to the heating process of each plant. These factories have also claimed that they need to carry out the heating of the plant in order to obtain the CTOs.
The Deputy Commissioner said he verified from the MSPCB that the heating process is mandatory according to the guidelines for obtaining a CTO.
Only two units — Abhi Coke Factory at Lad Rymbai and Jaintia Coke Factory at Umtyra —recognised by the Commerce and Industries Department.
A total of 48 coke factories in the East Jaintia Hills district have been cleared by the Single Window Agency under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma till date. The owners of 32 of these coke factories had owned coke factories that were closed down in Arunachal Pradesh last year.
UDP working president, Paul Lyngdoh on Friday said the people behind the illegal factories in Elaka Sutnga of East Jaintia Hills district should be taken to task.
Stating that the DC should be given time to come up with a report on the mushrooming of illegal coke factories in the area, Lyngdoh said: “Taking the views of the NGOs into account, he should make sure action is taken against the illegal factories case by case.”
The DC had earlier issued an order for the closure of all the factories that have only been granted CTE and for screening of those granted CTO to establish if they have followed the conditions laid down by the pollution board.
Hundreds of residents of Sutnga Elaka had recently organised a peaceful protest in Khliehriat against the mushrooming of the coke factories.
The local leaders said information obtained under the RTI Act revealed that 39 of the 48 coke plants under the scanner are located in Umthe, Soo Kilo and Umpleng area under Sutnga Elaka.
Forest and Environment Minister James Sangma had instructed the MSPCB to coordinate with the district administration and close down all coke factories operating without CTE and CTO. While Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui asked the East Jaintia Hills SP to take stern action against the illegal units, Commerce and Industries Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar blamed the MSPCB for the proliferation of these units.
