ECC asks govt to implement action plan against offending coke oven factories

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 20, 2022

The Environment Co-ordination Committee (ECC) Elaka Sutnga has demanded the state government to immediately implement the action plan by ensuring all offending coke oven factories who failed to comply with the norms are closed down before November 8, this year.

The demand was made in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday.

This came after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had recently directed the state government to prepare an action plan regarding the offending coke oven units which were established prior December 23, 2020.

“The action plan and its implementation shall be carried out within the period of four months before the 8th of November 2022, all offending coke oven units established prior the December 23, 2020 and have obtained CTO, but could not meet the sitting norms as provided should be closed down before the 8th day of November,” the ECC said.

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The ECC also suggested to the state government that if relocation of such coke oven units would be a part of the action plan, no coke plants should be granted with permission to operate within the Elaka Sutnga or East Jaintia Hills District.

“that the government shall not declare any area or places as industrial area or commercial area within the Elaka Sutnga under any circumstances, that no cluster of operation of coke plants should be granted with permission, and all standalone units should not be converted into clusters, that no coke oven plant should be granted with permission to operate within the Elaka in the near future and that the said amount may be compensating to all the affected areas to restore the damages that have been caused by the coke plants,” it stated in the letter.

Also Read | State Pollution Control Board face NGT wrath for leniency to coke plants

Meanwhile, the ECC along with headmen of the Elaka Sutnga urged the government to take immediate action against offending coke oven units failing which they will be left with no option but to take a brawny approach as to resolve the matter, the memorandum stated.