The Village Defence Party (VDP) in Mookympad, East Jaiñtia Hills district today detected 43 labourers from a truck reportedly without valid documents.
According to a statement released by the VDP, the labourers were travelling in a truck bearing registration number AS-25 EC 3955 at around 7 am.
The VDP stated that all the labourers from outside the state are engaged by one Forgive Dkhar, owner of a coke oven plant named, SK Coke in Nongjri under Elaka Sutnga.
“What surprises us is that the owner of the coke factory had accused the Elaka Sutnga of violating Covid protocols during a protest rally held recently when just a day after the rally, he was the one who brought in a truck load of labourers from Bogaigaon in Assam without documents,” the VDP president Aw-oo Supooh said, questioning if Dkhar had sought permission from the Deputy Commissioner to bring in the labourers.
According to the VDP, SK Coke plant has not obtained the consent to establish (CTE) but continue to operate in Nongjri.
Expressing concern over the rising cases of Covid-19 in the district, Supooh said coke factory owners should respect the protocols put in place by authorities and refrain from bringing in labourers from outside the state without valid documents.
