Meghalaya police arrested an owner of a coke oven plant and seized coal stocks and coke materials from Shallang under West Khasi Hills district.
This came following a Meghalaya High Court order directing the police to trace and arrest all owners and operators of illegal coke plants in the State.
Thirty-five year old Youdishtra Bhama of Bongaon, Beltola in Guwahati was running an illegal coke plant named M/s Kalyani Fuels Ltd in Shallang. Sources said the person originally hails from Hisar district in Haryana.
Bhama was arrested today by police in the presences of magistrates who also seized an estimated 9000 MT of coal and 800 MT of coke dumped at the site of the illegal coke factories in an open space in different locations.
Police has availed three-day custody and a case under section 188/34/379/120B IPC R/w Sec 3(1)/21(1) MMDR Act, Sec 15 EP Act & Sec 3 Explosives Substances Act was lodged at Shallang Police station.
It may be noted that the Meghalaya Director General of Police in his earlier affidavit filed before the High Court had stated that “the actual owners/operators of the illegal coke plants are mostly based in Assam and have been running the illegal business in Meghalaya and several Benami transactions have also come to light.”
According to the report, there are 13 coke oven plants in operation in the East Jaiñtia Hills and 38 further coke oven plants which are not in operation. In West Jaiñtia Hills and South West Khasi Hills there are two and six coke oven plants, respectively, which are not in operation. In West Khasi Hills District there are four coke oven plants in operation and 61 others not in operation. In addition, there is one ferro alloy plant operation in the West Khasi Hills District.
