No application has come from any coke plant for grant of EC: SEIAA

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 1, 2021

Not a single coke factory in the two districts of Jaintia Hills region has obtained the mandatory environmental clearance so far.

This was revealed by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) on Thursday while responding to a complaint lodged by the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) against the illegal coke factories operating in the region

“However, no application has come from any coke plant for grant of environmental clearance (EC) in the prescribed limit…,” SEIAA stated in the letter.

This was despite the fact that “according to the EIA Notification 2006 under the Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986, the category with threshold limit of >25,000 MTPA upto <250,000 MPTA falls under the SEIAA.”

The letter however stated that issues related to the Air & Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act do not come under the purview of SEIAA.

Expressing shock at the revelation by the authority, HITO President Donbok DKhar however said despite media reports against these illegal coke factories, the government is denying the existence of such criminal activities right under its very nose.

According to him, the Assembly’s Committee on Environment has also taken note of the allegations and conducted site inspections recently.

He said it also poses an even greater threat to the land and its people since the authority has categorically stated that issues related to the Air & Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act do not come under the purview of the SEIAA.

“The people want to know Mr Chief Minister Sir, what do you have to say about this revelation? We want to know why the honourable Forest & Environment Minister visited East Jaiñtia Hills on June 30. Is the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance going to deny the existence of illegal coal factories even to the Assembly Committee?” Dkhar asked.

Meanwhile, HITO demanded that the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to come clean on the matter and immediately order the shutting down of all illegal coke factories in the state.