SHILLONG, Aug 5: Facing tremendous pressure to act against the illegal coke factories which have mushroomed in East Jaintia Hills, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui has asked the East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police to take stern action against illegal units.
“My message is that stern action should be taken against the illegal coke factories and even where the legal coke factories are concerned, we should check the source of the coal,” Rymbui told reporters.
Rymbui said that he had visited Jaintia Hills on Wednesday with one of his Cabinet colleagues as part of the regional committee on border disputes to give suggestions to the government on the Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute and while returning from Ratacherra, he came across several coke factories in East Jaintia Hills following which he issued the order.
Forest and Environment Minister James Sangma also said that he has instructed Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) to coordinate with the District Administration and close down all coke factories operating without Consent To Establish (CTE) and Consent To Operate (CTO).
He also added that the department will launch an aggressive drive to monitor and improve the air quality in Sutnga Elaka.
Meanwhile, Commerce and Industries Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar blamed the MSPCB for the proliferation of illegal coke factories in East Jaintia Hills.
“When it comes to industries, whether coke factories or cement plant or hotels it is the duty of the Commerce and Industries Department to give Single Window Agency (SWA) clearance if anyone applies,” he said.
Reasoning that the department cannot deny a license if someone applies after getting the NOC from local authorities, Dhar said, “The SWA only gives the clearance. After the SWA clearance, it is the duty of the Pollution Control Board to inspect if the proposed site of the coke factory is near habitation or water bodies.”
“This is not the job of the Commerce and Industries Department. It is duty of the MSPCB to issue the CTO and CTE,” he added.
He quickly added that the MSPCB could not be blamed alone for the illegal coke plants as there are industries which violate the norms.”
The minister also said that he has directed the MSPCB to inspect and close down all illegal coke factories.
He also pointed out that FIR can be filed against those who are setting up coke factories illegally as was done in Shallang earlier.
On the usage of coal by the coke factories, Dhar said, “We had made it very clear that the coal to be used in the coke factories should be obtained from legal sources. They can buy the raw materials from West Bengal or any other place. They should be aware that there is a ban on mining of coal in Meghalaya.”
