SHILLONG, July 11 (PTI): Meghalaya government on Tuesday said it has demolished at least 3 illegal coke plants in West Khasi Hills district in compliance with a high court order and arrested five people involved in running these plants, officials said.
“Till Monday, three illegal coke plants have been demolished and more such plants will be demolished by July 20,” a senior government official told PTI.
According to the official, the demolition and arrests were made in compliance with the Meghalaya High Court order in December last year.
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He said the process of dismantling the beehive coke ovens have begun to ensure that they do not become operational again.
He said the eradication of illegal coke plants is an essential step towards restoring the region’s ecological balance.
Acting on a PIL, the Meghalaya High Court had sought the state government’s action on shutting down the illegal coke plants in remote West Khasi Hills district to prevent illegal mining and transportation of coal.
The National Green Tribunal had in 2014 issued a blanket ban on unscientific mining and transportation of coal in this hill state resulting in the Supreme Court also monitoring the transportation of already mined coal.
Despite the ban, chief minister Conrad K Sangma had told the Assembly last year that 1,652 cases had been registered for illegal transportation of coal in the state and 109 cases registered against illegal mining and extraction of coal.
Of this, 1,354 have been chargesheeted and 472 convicted, he had informed the House.
During the past 9 years, several accidents were also reported in illegal coal mines across the state in which over 20 miners have lost their lives.
Last year, a coal mine collapsed in West Khasi Hills district in which 2 miners died and one was injured.
An illegal coke plant was dismantled by the district administration of West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya on Saturday, according to a delayed report.
This came after five persons were recently arrested for running illegal coke plants in the district.
The administration had informed that there are over 61 coke plants at Shallang of which 4 have proper documents while the remaining are all illegal.
It said that all illegal coke plants have been shut down and an investigation to nab the owners is going on.
With inputs from NNN
