A coke-laden truck overturned at Lad Lummawbah Monday morning.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtnger said that the truck was loaded with coke proceeding from Shallang in West Khasi Hills towards Guwahati.
He said the driver of the truck bearing registration number AS26 C 5873, Amidul Islam of Bishinpara, Khanapara surrendered at the Lumdiengjri Traffic Branch and legal action has been taken up.
A suo moto FIR was also lodged at Lumdiengjri PS and a case registered under section 279/427/188/34 IPC r/w Section 3 PDP Act 1994.
It may be mentioned that more than 25 coke factories dot Shallang. Earlier, the government had ruled that most of the coke factories operating in West Khasi Hills were doing so without relevant permissions. The expected crackdown on these illegally set-up factories, however, failed to come.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told the House in March that out of the 17 illegal coke factories, 10 received single-window clearances and are awaiting Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under the Air & Water Act.