Govt to verify land ownership of 15 coke plants

SHILLONG, Aug 30: The state government will soon initiate a process to verify the ownership of land on which 15 coke oven plants are operating.
Replying to a zero hour notice VPP’s North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, Commerce and Industries Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said that out of 17 coke oven plants in the state, two are operating on their own land while the land ownership details of the 15 others remain unknown.
As far as cement companies are concerned, Dhar said 11 cement plants are currently in operation while four, including Mawmluh Cherra Cements Limited, have stopped their operations.
He said that out of the 15 cement companies, 11 have set up their plants on their own land while three of them have taken the land on lease from private landowners.
One cement company has obtained the land on lease from the Commerce and Industries department, the minister added.