SHILLONG, March 6: The residents of villages under Elaka Sutnga in East Jaintia Hills may feel triumphant as the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) recently issued a closure notice besides Refusal of Consent (REC) to 29 coke plants operating illegally in the area.
The action of the MSPCB comes on the heels of a series of protests by the locals against the establishment of the plants under the Elaka.
The Environment Coordination Committee (ECC) of Elaka Sutnga described the action as a “historic win” for the people of the Elaka against the coke mafia.
“The people of the Elaka along with the ECC shall continue to fight and expose the misuse of power by the government and the District Council, on the ground as well as before the court of law,” ECC’s legal adviser, Reading War said.
He said the ECC has already raised the issue before the National Green Tribunal and the matter has been listed on March 10 for the respondents to file an affidavit.
War lamented that the state government and the District Council least cared for the health of citizens as evident from their granting of no-objection certificates (NOCs) to the coke plants.
According to him, they had given “Consent to Operate” (CTO) even for the establishment of coke units in and around human settlements.
“The coke plants are emitting dangerous particulate matters in residential areas. It is a constitutional obligation of the state to ensure a pollution-free environment to the citizens. However, the state and the District Council have failed to protect the lives of people and upcoming generation by granting NOCs to 42 coke plants. Fifty units have applied for Consent to Establish (CTEs),” War said.
He said the ECC had repeatedly asked the government to take punitive measures against 29 coke plants whose applications were rejected on various grounds but they are still operating despite the closure notice and REC.
War said this illegality will not stop until these plants are dismantled and destroyed. He alleged they have a nexus with bureaucrats and politicians among others.
“Till date, no cases have been initiated before any court of law or district court by the government against these coke plants except nine units that previous Deputy Commissioner Ethelbert Kharmalki had dealt with,” War said.
He said Kharmalki had last year carried out a surprise inspection along with the members of the ECC. It was found that two plants, M/s Syrpailang Coke and M/s Jaintia Coke industries, were established within Soo Kilo village without conforming to the conditions as mentioned and provided in the CTO, he said.
“The former DC had also sent a report to the MSPCB for taking necessary action against the two plants. However, the effort went in vain as they are still operating within human habitation and releasing dangerous pollutants,” War said.
The ECC, he said, is surprised to learn that PHE Minister, Renikton Tongkhar is associated with one of the coke plants, “The North East Carbon”. He alleged the Minister had obtained CTE and CTO recently despite the protests.
“In the last (Assembly) session, the said Minister had stated that he would withdraw his name from the partnership of this coke plant. But it was just to mislead people as he continues to be associated with it,” War claimed.
The ECC criticised the state government’s conduct of a pollution load study despite a Supreme Court order, dated July 3, 2019, upholding the report submitted by the BP Katoki Committee as well as the MPSCB on environmental degradation covering the land, air and water in East Jaintia Hills.
“We found out through reliable sources that the government is again planning to conduct a pollution load study in and around the area with an estimated cost of Rs 52 lakh. This is unwarranted and a huge waste of money from the state exchequer,” War added.