JOWAI: Coal traders’ associations, pressure groups and the Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong of East Jaintia Hills district have threatened to defy the lockdown and resort to agitations, including strikes, if the government does not revoke the permission granted for transportation of coal from Assam and other states.
They asked the government to auction the remaining 32 lakh tonnes of coal as per the order of the Supreme Court rather than bring coal from outside the state, as the same can be sold to the cement plants from the district itself to which they have agreed if approved by the government.
A delegation of the organisations met the Director General of Police in Shillong on Monday and apprised him of the district people’s opposition to import of coal by cement plants from outside the state.
The delegation submitted a letter expressing their strong protest.
“We strongly object to the permission given by the government for transportation of coal from Assam and other neighbouring states to cement plants of East Jaintia Hills District, as it puts the life and health of the people of East Jaintia Hills District in particular and the state in general in a great danger due to pandemic COVID-19”, the letter stated.
The delegation objected to the order of the state government allowing cement plants across the state to “ply their trucks into, within and outside the State without any gap on the number of trucks they can ply daily. They will not also require any specific permission from Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills district for plying their vehicles.”
