By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 23: The Sutnga Elaka in East Jaintia Hills stands on the edge of a battle it never chose.
As the locals continue to endure air pollution caused by coke plants, the Environment Coordination Committee (ECC) is gearing up to renew its fight after 16 coke plants, termed illegal by the state government, have been granted consent to establish (CTE).
The ECC identified the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) as the main culprit. It threatened to go after the board to prevent the inevitable.
“We started our fight against the coke plants in 2021 when we had gone to the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal, the High Court and other authorities. We thought we had won some part of the fight but in a recent RTI reply, we found that another 16 coke plants have been granted CTE,” said ECC legal adviser Reading War.
He said these received the CTE this year or last year. He questioned how they could get CTE when they were termed “erring” or “illegal” by the state government, and the MSPCB filed a case and imposed environmental compensation against them.
“I am surprised that even after proper report and inspection by the MSPCB this year and last year, they issued and legalised these coke plants once termed illegal,” War said, announcing that this is the second phase of the ECC’s fight.
He said the ECC’s fight will not be against any coke plant owners or government but the MSPCB. He added that the MSPCB was found to be the main culprit after an analysis by the ECC.
On the MSPCB’s reported statement that the consent was given based on a court order, War refused to comment anything on the order. He, however, said, “I have asked for an explanation on what ground they have done this. I don’t find any reason for them to legalise those coke plants which have been already declared illegal.”
He expressed dismay that if these coke plants are legalised, the people of the Elaka will have to relocate.
“What happened in Elaka Sutnga is nothing compared to Byrnihat. People have been living here since time immemorial. The introduction of coke plants in the residential areas will have disastrous consequences,” War warned.
He said 20 to 30 coke plants will be coming shortly in addition to the 16 which have been granted CTE.
During the recent budget session of the state Assembly, the Voice of the People Party (VPP) highlighted the alarming levels of pollution in Lumshnong, East Jaintia Hills, due to the coke plants.
VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit had remarked that Lumshnong was likely to turn into another Byrnihat. He had warned that people would be forced to relocate if pollution was left unchecked.
Amid hue and cry, the Committee on Environment of the Assembly had on September 2024 sought a 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 the police had taken 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 the police conducted raids on December 16-17 in 2022 and shut down 57 illegal coke plants. The District Magistrate issued another order on February 2, 2023 for the complete demolition of all illegal coke plants. The bee-hive ovens and pipes connecting the ovens and chimneys of 57 illegal coke plants were also dismantled.