SHILLONG, Dec 7: The High Court of Meghalaya on Wednesday sought a report from the Meghalaya government on the source of coal used by the coke and ferro alloys plants operating in the state.
Hearing a PIL pertaining to illegal coal mining in the state, the full bench of the High Court took note of the information furnished by the Secretary of Mining and Geology Department and observed that a large number of coke oven plants and ferro alloys plants are operating in the state but only a limited few have both consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) granted by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.
“Apart from the fact that several coke oven and ferro alloys plants are operational without due permission, the source of coal at these plants has neither been identified nor reported by the state,” the court said.
“This has to be immediately done and both the Secretary in the Mining and Geology Department and the Chief Secretary will be responsible in such regard,” the order stated.
