Shillong: The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has given closure notice to 29 illegal coke plants in Elaka Sutnga. The MSPCB has also given Refusal of Consent to these 29 units.
Hailing it as a big win for the Environment Coordination Committee (ECC) along with the people of Elaka Sutnga, ECC legal adviser Reading War said, “This is a historic win in the Elaka as it has never happened in the history of the Elaka that the voice of the people and the weak has overcome the elite or coke mafia and the government.”
The ECC said the citizen of the Elaka along with the ECC will continue to fight to expose the irresponsible and misuse of power by the government and the district council both on the ground and before the court of law.
The matter has also been raised before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and has been listed for March 10, 2022 for the respondents (MSPCB, state government and coke plant owners) to file reply affidavit.
The ECC has time and again raised the issue of how hazardous these coke plants are that emit dangerous particulate matter into the residential areas.
According to an RTI filed by the ECC, the response from Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) was that 42 NOCs have been cleared by the council to coke plants in East Jaintia Hills alone amid protest from the people.
However, as per the RTI reply sought from the MSPCB, there are 50 coke plants that have been established in East Jaintia Hills. “This shows that some of the factories are set up without the NOC from the JHADC, clearing violating the requirements of the prerequisite documents to obtain Single Window Agency (SWA). Also, to get clearance from other departments concerned as well as exposing the very fact that the establishment of the coke plants is without proper scrutinisation of documents,” the committee said.
As per the RTI reply, out of 42 NOCs or coke plants only 8 have obtained trading licence, clearing indicating that the rest are operating without licence.
According to the MSPCB report, the number of coke plants in East Jaintia Hills that have been granted with Consent to Establish (CTE) is 2 and Consent to Operate (CTO) is 12 out of which 5 are operating without valid CTOs.
Out of 50 units which have applied for CTE before the MSPCB, 29 units have already been declared “Refusal of Consent” on the grounds of initiating establishment of the project without prior consent from the board.