SHILLONG, Aug 20: At the backdrop of massive protests in East Jaintia Hills against the mushrooming of illegal coke plants, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Friday asserted that the state government will take immediate action if it is established that any organization, company or firm is operating without necessary documents.
“If any organization, company, firm or individual is operating coke plants without the necessary documents then please make the proof available to us and we will take immediate action,” the CM said while replying to a query that despite a notification to shut down illegal coke factories in East Jaintia Hills, they are still in operation.
“It is quite simple for us to look at a particular factory because smoke is coming out and we jump to the conclusion that those are illegal. Illegality can only be established when they don’t have the necessary documents. In all likelihood the factories that are operational are functioning with proper documents and one cannot label them as illegal,” he added.
Acknowledging the environmental concern, he said, “I have always maintained that we have to have a balance with economic activity. There could be some harm to some extend but we need to ensure that it is within the prescribed norms of the environmental laws.”
It may be reminded that illegal coke factory owners in East Jaintia Hills have failed to comply with the closure orders issued by Deputy Commissioner, Ethelbert Kharmalki.The DC had filed an FIR on the non-compliance of the illegal coke factories to the closure notice issued by the District Administration on July 15 last.
No CTE without SWA clearance
The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has clarified there is no instance of granting Consent To Establish (CTE) without the Single Window Agency clearance.
In a statement on Friday, MSPCB said that there have been instances where the project proponent on applying for CTE had been advised to obtain SWA clearance if application is not accompanied with the same.
“It may be mentioned that Jaintia Coke has installed a second chimney for venting out the gases from the second set of battery of ovens which cumulatively are within the production capacity as approved by the SWA and for which CTE was granted. Therefore erecting a second chimney does not require SWA clearance nor CTE as it is well within the production capacity approved earlier,” the Board said.
As for Meghalaya Coke, the Board said that the installation of the second chimney was for expansion purpose i.e. increasing the production capacity beyond the one approved by SWA.
“In this regard the MSPCB has rejected the application for CTE as it was not accompanied with SWA clearance for increasing the production capacity,” the statement said while informing that a closure notice has been issued to M/S Meghalaya Coke for setting up of the expansion part without consent from the Board,” the statement added.
