Editor,
News on dismantling of coke factories built in the State by the district authorities as per order of the Meghalaya High Court has dominated the front pages of Meghalaya major print and electronic media during the last one week or so. But till date only nine coke plants are reported in East Jaintia and West Khasi Hills. What about the other 82 plants that needed to be dismantled? What about the so called legally set up plants since they also caused environment pollution much to the carelessness or indifference of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB)?
But what has caused me serious concern and perhaps many others is the fact that there more than 161 coke coal plants in East and West Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills districts, not to mention others in Garo Hills perhaps, and the environmental disaster that these plants have caused on humans, animals, plants and aquatic lives over the past ten odd years cannot be described or quantified. I personally have visited quite a number of coke plants in both Jaintia and West Khasi Hills and the pollution they caused was terrible and horrible, perhaps worse than the gas chambers set up by Nazis.
These monstrous coke coal plants feed on coal easily available from locally mined coal which is in close proximity to the plants. The 32 tonner plus trucks used to carry coke coal side by side with illegally mined coal from Jaintia Hills and West Khasi Hills to their destinations in Assam during the last ten odd years with tacit knowledge and understanding with the authorities concerned. Yet the government had the audacity to deny and wash its hands of the fact of illegal coal mining and transporting of coal to Assam and anywhere else.
For industries in the State one has to apply to the Industry Department with the concurrence of the Meghalaya State Pollution Board by undergoing through various processes. Now we may ask why the Industries Department is quick to grant the much needed single window clearances and for MSPCB is also up and doing to give the environmental clearance certificates to applicants who apply for setting up industries. Your answer is better than mine but as for me perhaps it may be based on various considerations which among others are the political influence, the political lobby ability and financial power that the applicants have to influence these authorities.
Hence, the greater interests of the many are sacrificed for the vested interests of a few and hence we have so many industries or companies which are causing dangers environmentally or otherwise to many people and benefit just a few.
Philip Marweiñ,
Senior Journalist,
Shillong
