By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 14: The authorities of two villages in East Jaintia Hills demanded the immediate closure of some coke oven plants after alleging that their operations affected the health of villagers.
The village dorbars of Nongsning and Umrasong submitted a petition to the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) on Wednesday, seeking its immediate intervention and closure of illegal establishment and operation of the coke oven plants in the two villages.
In the petition, the Rangbah Shnongs of the two villages alleged that the establishment and operation of the illegal coke plants affected the health and safety of the villagers over the last few years.
“It is a matter of concern that the illegal establishment and operation of coke oven plants in the adjacent villages today is one of the major causes of air pollution in the region. It is disheartening to know that in the recent few months, numerous CTEs (Consent To Establish) were issued for the establishment of coke oven plants within and adjacent to the villages, in spite of several representations and protests by the locals in this regard,” the two Rangbah Shnongs stated in the petition.
They said the villagers get water from only one source but as the water there was contaminated due to the establishment and operation of the coke oven plants, specifically M/S Presidium Breeze Coke Oven Plant at Nongsning, they greatly suffered. “Further, we would like to bring to your consideration that even with respect to this issue, several petitions to different concerned authorities for intervention were forwarded in the last three years but there are no concrete solutions,” the two Rangbah Shnongs lamented.
They urged the MSPCB to intervene in order to safeguard the lives of the people of the affected villages and oppose the granting of licence to any coke plant.
Coke plants not paying cess of over Rs 2.40 crore
The High Court of Meghalaya-appointed one-man committee, headed by Justice (retired) BP Katakey has recommended the initiation of appropriate proceedings for realisation of royalty and cess, to the tune of over Rs 2.40 crore, from three coke oven plants in East Jaintia Hills.
The committee, which recently filed its report on the status of audit of source of coal and coke of the coke oven plants, ferro alloy plants and captive power plants of cement factories, said the Mining and Geology Department has apprised it about the ongoing process of audit of source of coal and coke of ferro alloy plants and captive power plants of cement factories in the state, which is expected to be completed within a month.
The committee was also apprised that during the audit, eight coke oven plants were found to have sourced part of their total requirement of coal from an illegal source, for which royalty and cess were not paid and accordingly, demand notices were issued.
Later, five of them paid the royalty and cess, one expressed its willingness to pay the amount while two others did not respond to the demand notices.
As per the report, Jaintia Coke Pvt Ltd has not paid an amount of Rs 1,21,96,275, Abhi Coke has not paid Rs 1,02,36,107 as royalty and cess while Syrpai Coke did not pay Rs 15,99,459 as royalty and cess.