SHILLONG, March 14: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has highlighted the alarming levels of pollution in Lumshnong, East Jaintia Hills, due to the coke plants.
VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit stated that the government has received petitions and memorandums from residents of Sutnga Elaka regarding the coke plants, and that people will be forced to relocate soon or later due to the high levels of pollution.
Following hue and cry, the Committee on Environment of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on September 2024 had demanded a detailed list of all legal and illegal coke plants operating in Jaintia Hills, along with information on the sources of raw materials used by these plants.
The committee also inspected several industrial sites, including cement and coke plants, in East Jaintia Hills to evaluate the environmental impact of their operations.
In 2023, the district administration and police took concrete action against illegal establishment and operation of coke plants in compliance with the order of the High Court of Meghalaya.
The Executive Magistrate and police conducted raids on December 16-17, 2022, and shut down 57 illegal coke plants. The District Magistrate issued another order on February 2, 2023 for the complete demolitions of all illegal coke plants. The bee-hive ovens and pipes connecting the ovens and chimneys of 57 illegal coke plants were also dismantled.
