Social activist Agnes Kharshiing has alleged that illegal coke factories in West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills and East Jaiñtia Hills are operating in connivance with politicians besides being a cover up for illegal coal mining activities in the State.
In a letter to the State Chief Secretary today, Kharshiing said that people staying in Nongdaju and Shallang area of West Khasi Hills are affected daily from the pollution of coke factories in this area besides adverse impact on agriculture.
“The dust from these coke factories is seen by the people in the morning in their surroundings. We had also seen that there were more than ten coke factories in this area,” Kharshiing said.
She also said that during a visit to a coke factory, along with journalists, it was seen that the factory has no signboard and it was also found that the factory had about 32 furnaces.
“The labourers were all from Assam. On asking them (labourers) they told us that there were about 50 of them working in the factory. If they work in one furnace they get paid Rs 150 for one furnace. We saw that there was coal all around and this is fed into the furnace to make coke. We were also told that there were about 30 more such factories mushrooming,” Kharshiing said.
According to Kharshiing, people around these areas complained of health issues due to pollution and poor crop production.
“The government has passed the Meghalaya Farmers (Empowerment) Commission Act 2019 including declaring December 4, 2020 as Farmers Day. However, the wanton destruction of the State by continued mining and setting up of polluting industries are contradicting the very objectives of the farmers interest who comprise around 70 per cent of the population in the State,” she added.
Kharshiing also said that a study of the NESAC maps would reveal all the illegal coal mining activities to feed the coke factories in Meghalaya.
Demanding immediate closure of all coke factories in West Khasi Hills and East Jaiñtia Hills, Kharshiing also called for a study of the NESAC maps to find out all the illegalities in coal mining feeding the coke factories in Meghalaya and also the facts of the exact extracted coal available in Meghalaya in 2014. She also demanded immediate inquiry to find out the alleged role of the coal mafia in this matter.
