SHILLONG, Dec 12: Forest and Environment Minister James PK Sangma said the state government has closed down all the illegal coke factories in Meghalaya.
Most of these coke factories were operating in the East Jaintia Hills district.
“We have been able to close down all such factories that do not conform to the rules and the law, particularly in East Jaintia Hills,” he said Sunday.
Stating that these factories have to function within the ambit of the law, he said, “Any unit found functioning illegally will be shut down and I believe the deputy commissioners concerned are working towards ensuring this.”
The mushrooming of coke plants and the hazardous impact on health and the environment had made hundreds of locals take to the streets, demanding their closure. The protests were most intense in the West Khasi Hills and the East Jaintia Hills districts.
Under pressure, the state government had in September closed down 31 coke factories that were established without any documents from the East Jaintia Hills authority.
These coke plants had only obtained clearance from the Single Window Agency and had neither the consent to establish (CTE) nor the consent to operate (CTO).
The district administration has been facing difficulties in acting against the remaining 13 coke units since they had already obtained either the CTE or CTO from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.
Meanwhile, the Maweit circle of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia & Garo People appealed to the West Khasi Hills deputy commissioner to prevent any individual or company from setting up coke factories in the Maweit area.
The pressure group said the people will not entertain proposals for setting up coke factories in the Maweit area.
