State govt gave single window clearance to 80 coke plants: Pala

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, July 12: With the government launching a crackdown on illegal coke plants in West Khasi Hills and East Jaintia Hills districts, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president, Vincent H. Pala on Wednesday claimed that the state government had given single window clearances to more than 80 coke oven plants in Meghalaya. “On one hand the government said there is no illegal coal mining and on the other hand, they gave single window clearances. This will automatically attract the intervention of the court,” Pala said while questioning whether the coke oven plants were functioning with the knowledge of the government. Welcoming the high court observation that CBI should be brought in to probe the coal and coke illegalities, Pala said the Congress was happy to see that the law of the land is being enforced. On Wednesday, the East Jaintia Hills district administration demolished the chimneys of two coke factories which were constructed without obtaining consent to establish (CTE) from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board. The demolition was led by Additional Deputy Commissioner J Shylla and had representatives from the district SP’s office, MSPCB and the District Commerce and Industries centre. East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner, Abhilash Baranwal said chimneys of M/s Halari Coke Plant in Sutnga Elaka and M/s Shauryansi Coke at Wah Samsier, Sutnga, were demolished. A total of 34 coke units will be demolished in total. In West Khasi Hills, the District Magistrate promulgated an order under Section 144 CrPC, prohibiting movement of any unauthorised person or groups of persons within a radius of one kilometer from the location of illegal coke plants in Kyllonmathei and Shallang areas. “The order was necessitated as it may not be safe for any movement of unauthorised persons in the proximity of the illegal coke plants during the period of demolition,” the magistrate said.