Shillong, Sept 28: Amid the protests over the mushrooming of coke plants in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills District, Meghalaya government on Tuesday constituted an Expert Technical Committee to undertake a comprehensive study on all aspects of coke plants in the State relating to the environment, public health and related issues and suggest specific recommendations.

According to an order signed by the Governor of Meghalaya, the Expert Technical Committee comprises of the following members:

1. B.K. Lyngwa, IFS,Chairman, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board,

2. N Bhattacharjee, chairman, State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC),

3. Prof. (Dr) BK Tewari, former HOD, Dept of Environment Sciences, NEHU,

4. Dr. TSR Marak, MCS, under secretary, Forest and Environment Department, and

5. N Nengnong, Former Member Secretary, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.

Terms of Reference

1.The Committee will undertake a comprehensive Environment & Public Health related study related to the Coke Plants and impact of such plants on the general environment in the vicinity of the location of all such coke units.

2.The Committee is authorized to study all relevant documents required by the SWA for approval and suggest additional measures, if any, for streamlining the Single Window Clearance including quality and source of raw materials for the plant.

3.The committee shall also undertake study of the “Cluster” situation arising out of the location of coke plants and suggest measures to combat and neutralise/minimise the impact on the environment on account of functioning within a cluster other than stand alone units.

4. TheCommitteewillformulateaninclusive EnvironmentSafeguardMeasuresfor compliance by the Coke Units from the stage of establishment, operation and in course of functioning to neutralise/minimise impact on the environment conforming to the Air Act and Water Act and any other environment regulatory acts/rules under EP Act, 2006, EIA Notification, 2006 etc which the committee may deem applicable considering the ground situation on case to case basis.

5. The Committee will also undertake a technical appraisal of the siting norms notified by MSPCB in respect to establishing and siting of Coke Plants in the state. Committee may suggest additional measures, if any, for seamless implementation of the norms in the interest of environment protection under Water and Air Act.

6 The Committee will suggest additional environment safeguard infrastructure/equipment etc other than those normally installed in Coke Plants with a view to ensure optimal level of protection to the environment particularly from stand point of fugitive emissions leading to pollution of ambient air quality and contamination of both ground & surface water sources/bodies present in the vicinity of coke plants, affecting public health.

7. The committee is authorized to commission Pollution Load Study through experienced NABET accredited environment consultants to ascertain pollution load of coke plants commensurate with their actual production capacity.