Shillong, Mar 28: The Environment Coordination Committee (ECC) Sutnga Elaka on Monday demanded the state government to “dismantle” the 29 coke plants, which have been issued with ‘refusal of consent’.
“(We) demand the Chief Minister and Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) to issue a necessary directive order to dismantle all the coke plants, which have been issued with refusal of consent,” said legal adviser of the ECC, Reading War at a news conference.
He informed that the RTI findings have revealed that 29 out of 50 coke plants in Sutnga Elaka under East Jaintia Hills have been issued with refusal of consent by the MSPCB on different grounds.
According to him, it is useless for these plants to be there as consent has been refused for not meeting the said norms provided keeping these plants erecting in different places would cause more damage to the environment.
Legalizing coke plants to be disastrous
War also warned the government from legalizing the coke plants and instead to relocate all of them from the Elaka.
“I am not inciting any violence here but if the government tries to legalize the coke plants, it would be disastrous in the Elaka. This is a message from the residents that we are going to hit the streets again and it is going to be a disaster,” he said.
Stating that they are seeking a total ban on setting up of coke plants in the Elaka, War said, “We will fight till there is no single coke plant left in the Elaka.”
NGT directive to MSPCB
He also informed that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given directive order to the MSPCB for computation of environment compensation, costs of restitution and remedial measures as well as penalty to be imposed for violation of environment norms to all the erring units.
“The MSPCB should take necessary steps for calculation with regards to the restoration of the environment, penalty and compensations. We request all the persons affected by the establishment of the coke oven plants to come forward with their complaints and claims for compensation to the MSPCB or through the ECC,” War said.
ECC demands MSPCB to monitor coke plants
Meanwhile, the ECC demands the MSPCB to immediately send their officials for one month at Sookilo, Umpleng and Umtyra to monitor the coke units that are polluting the environment as per NGT directives for regular checking during the night and take action against erring coke units.
The MSPCB may provide a 24×7 toll free number for the people to contact for immediate complaint, he said.
As directed by the NGT to furnish the location of the coke plants which are established in the residential area, War said, “The MSPCB should furnish the coordinates or location of these coke plants which obtained Consent to Operate (CTO) prior to the notification dated December 23, 2010.”
“The ECC will strongly protest if the MSPCB tries to manipulate the exact location of the coke plants,” he warned.
Wrong addresses furnished by coke plant owners
War also cited that the exact location of two coke plants namely M/s Syrpai Coke and M/s Jaintia Coke Industries are at Sookilo village, Elaka Sutnga.
“That Sookilo is very much a village recognized by the JHADC under the JHADC Establishment of Village Act, 2015,” he said.
This is because in most of the records the proprietors of these two coke plants have misled the concerned authority in their application form by mentioning that Sookilo is a commercial hub. However, for obtaining SWA they have mentioned it as a village, he said.
“M/s Mahajong Coke LLP, M/s Khlieh Umim Coke, M/s Ioannis Industries Pvt Ltd, M/s Kantalo Coke all are located at Umtyra village. M/s NM Fuels situated at Moolamylliang not only that it is situated in nearby residential place but we are also surprised to learn that this said coke plant which was once seized and sealed by the District Magistrate of East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya for operating without CTO and established without CTE clearly violating all the environment norms but despite all these failure, the MSPCB still issuing CTO or permitting to operate. The ECC demands explanation from the MSPCB as to why CTO was granted,” War said.
The legal adviser further questioned the MSPCB on why the M/s Jaintia coke industries chimney at Sookilo and the M/s Meghalaya coke chimney at Pather Umpleng are not given refusal of consent like the rest.
“(In fact) M/s Jaintia coke industries chimney at Sookilo have been issued with closure notice for establishing and operating without CTE and CTO and still no refusal of consent issued in this regard. Also the M/s Meghalaya coke chimney has been already established yet no refusal of consent issued. These two plants as per the record their applications still keep in abeyance by the board despite applying for CTE without SWA,” he said while demanding the MSPCB to dispose of their applications and issue refusal of consent to the two plants as done for the others.