Tura, April 9: A team of the Meghalaya Minerals Development Corporation (MMDC) and the district administration made surprise check in many areas around the plain belt of West Garo Hills yesterday to take stock of illegal quarrying and coal mining activities going on there.
Former CEM of the GHADC, Dipul Marak, who is also the co-chairman of the MMDC, was also a part of the raid along with deputy commissioner, Ram Singh, SP of WGH, Vivekanand Singh and the range officer of the state forest department.
Two teams, one covering Pipulbari and another covering Hollaidanga Range as well as other parts of the plain belt, conducted the surprise checks to curb the illegal activities that has posed serious danger to the local environment.
“Yesterday’s surprise visits were in response to several complaints from locals as well as NGOs of the area. During our visit to Balal Adugre village where illegal coal mining was taking place, we found five persons in the mine who informed that the mine belonged to the Nokma of the village and another Repnon Marak of Bolsalgre Selsella,” said Dipul.
Within the same village, the former CEM mentioned, illegal stone minings were also noticed which were being run by unscrupulous elements from neighbouring Assam running the entire racket with some sort of secret understanding with the Nokams and clan members. Apart from quarries, there were at least two illegal stone crushers in the same village.
HE further said that a report of the visit would be submitted to the state government for further action.
“When we came into the village, many of the loaded trucks had been hiding. As soon as we went a little further, they sped away from the spot in such a hurry that if there was anyone in front of them, they would have been crushed. These illegal quarry owners are aware that what they are doing is against the law but they continue to do so,” said the MMDC co-chairman.
Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh, who went to another area along with the district SP and Range officer, informed that they had meetings with Nokmas of the area in an effort to educate them as well as warn them of consequences of illegal quarrying and coal mining.
“This is a part of our continuous efforts to crackdown on illegal mining of stones or coal within the district. We have been raiding various places around the boundary with Assam as this is where the major illegal quarries and crushers have been set up,” said Ram Singh.
The DC informed that Nokmas of the area in question have been warned of the consequences and that they could be courting legal trouble in the future if they do not report such illegal acts within their lands.
“We have no other option and have asked them to file police complaints if people from Assam come to set up illegal quarries and crushers. If they don’t, we will file FIRs against them,” said the DC.
“It’s the interstate border and we keep taking action but they try and set it up after a few days. This will continue until we deploy police force to monitor the area,” he stated.
“We have been directed by the HC to stop such illegal activities and will meet the Assam administration on this. We will show them the extent of damage being done and seek action against those responsible for it so that such environmental damage is stopped,” asserted the DC.
The entire stretch between Garobadha to Hallidayganj has over 300 massive, illegally operated stone quarries and many crushers. These have caused extensive damage to roads, forests and water springs. With most of the operators being from Assam, taking action against them has been difficult.