Shillong, Sept 20: The Environment Coordination Committee (ECC) Sutnga Elaka, East Jaintia Hills has sought the intervention of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to frame action plan against the offending coke oven units established prior to December 23, 2020.
The NGT found that those coke oven plants established prior to December 2020 were set up in human habitations
ECC legal advisor Reading War (in picture) addressed a press conference after meeting the officials of the pollution control board.
The ECC also petitioned the chief minister.
In a letter to the chief minister on Tuesday, the ECC wanted the government to carry out action plan and said its implementation shall be carried out within four months as per the order of NGT on July 8 which means that before November 8 all offending coke oven units established prior to December 23, 2020 and have obtained CTO, but could not meet the norms as provided, should be closed down.
“That, if relocation of such coke oven units would be a part of the action plan, no coke plants should be granted with permission to operate within the Elaka Sutnga or East Jaintia Hills District and If designated places have been made thereof in any part of the state it should be far enough from the human habitations.
The ECC wanted the government not to declare any area or places as industrial area or commercial area within the Elaka Sutnga at any circumstances and that no cluster of operation of coke plants should be granted with permission, and all stand alone units should not be converted into cluster.
The ECC further said no coke oven plant should be granted with permission to operate within the Elaka in future.
