Katakey Committee report flags 33 illegal coke plants, calls for swift demolition

Shillong, Nov 4: The Brojendra Prasad Katakey Committee has recommended the demolition of 33 illegal coke oven plants in East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills within a week.

This recommendation was made in the 33rd interim report submitted before the high court. Out of these 33 plants, 16 are in East Jaintia Hills and 17 in West Khasi Hills district.

The recommendation to demolish these plants was also made in the 32nd interim report of the Katakey committee, which has not been complied as no compliance report was submitted by the authorities.

"The Committee, therefore, recommends demolition of the 33 (16 in East Jaintia Hills district and 17 in West Khasi Hills district) illegally set up coke oven plants within a period of one week and submit the compliance report to curb the illegal coal mining activities in the State," the report said.

It further recommended that the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) conduct inspections every three months to verify that no illegal coke oven plants are operating. The Mining and Geology Department and the MSPCB will also have to file quarterly action taken reports.

In addition, the Commit-tee recommended that the State government recover Rs 530.59 lakh from 15 coke oven plants and Rs 1.71 crore from M/S Sakambari Ferro Alloy Pvt. Ltd. within a reasonable period.

It further recommended that the immediate transfer of 920.73 metric tonnes of illegally mined coal from Rajaju and Diengngan to the Coal India Limited (CIL)-designated depot at Nongjri for auction under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.

Earlier, the Committee, through aerial survey, identified several illegal coal mines and dumping sites which had not been physically reached by State government authorities.

The Committee, therefore, directed the authorities to reach all such dumps identified in the aerial survey conducted by M/S Garuda UAV and the process should begin from this month and be completed by the end of December.

"Immediate lodging of FIR against 21 persons, out of 22, who have claimed to have extracted the coal, but on physical verification no coal was found, and take appropriate action under the pro-visions of the MMDR Act, 1957" the report said