Jowai, Aug 17: The Environment Co-ordination Committee (ECC) Elaka Sutnga on Tuesday met the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaiñtia Hills as a follow-up to the Committee’s demand for the closure of the coke factories within the jurisdiction of Elaka Sutnga for non- compliance of the orders and guidelines issued by the Deputy Commissioner recently.

During today’s meeting, the Committee was accompanied by the Waheh Chnong (Headmen) from Elaka Sutnga following the meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, the Committee met the Superintendent of Police of the District.

Following the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner issued a letter to the Superintendent of Police directing him to register an FIR for non-compliance of the directions that were earlier issued against the erring factories as per the Clearances issued by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB).

In the letter, the Deputy Commissioner stated that those Factories (Units) having Consent To Operate (CTO) may be allowed to operate and those who were granted with only Consent to Establish (CTE) are allowed to heat their Ovens which is part of the CTE process before they are granted with CTO and to close down factories which don’t possess CTE and CTO.