Shillong, May 11: The National Green Tribunal has pulled up the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board for not inspecting coke plants in the state.
In an order on Wednesday, the NGT Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata said the affidavit of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board gives them an impression that the Board is only giving time to the violators of law to cover up their tracks due to which reasons inspection of the coke plants were not conducted promptly.
The petition against Meghalaya government was filed by Pynbait Sutnga.
The order said that the affidavit of Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board does not show environmental compensation to have been computed against the violators of environmental norms who are operating the coke plants.
The affidavit also shows that two coke plants namely M/s Jaintia Coke Industries and M/s Vivan Associate could not be inspected and therefore another day has been fixed.
With regard to the five other coke units also, it was stated that inspection could not be carried out since complaints filed against them were based on violation of Consent to Establish (CTE) and not violation of Consent to Operate (CTO) and they were found to have initiated constructions/minor constructions like leveling of the land etc., prior to obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE).
“Be that as it may, operating coke plants without environmental clearance are all violations of environmental norms under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act,1986”, the NGT said.
The NGT granted the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board two weeks time for filing affidavit showing what action has been taken against the defaulting/illegal coke plants.
“If the affidavit is not filed by 27.05.2022, the Member Secretary, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board shall be present physically in court on the next date of listing with his personal affidavit”, the NGT said.
The matter will be taken up again on May 27.
