East Jaintia Hills Begins Demolition of Over 30 Illegal Coke Factories

In a significant move to restore ecological balance and tackle pollution, Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district has started demolishing over 30 illegal coke plants. The official confirmed the start of the operation this morning.

These unauthorized coke plants are operating without obtaining necessary consent for installation from Meghalaya Pollution Control Board.

East Jaintia Hills district is grappling with a large number of illegal coke plants, which have been identified as major contributors to environmental degradation. Concerns about pollution prompted the authorities to take action, and the district has the highest concentration of these illegal actions.

Just two days ago, on July 10, three coke plants were demolished in Shalang area of West Khasi Hills district of the state. Apart from the demolition, five persons involved in the illegal operations were arrested.

To ensure smooth functioning and maintain law and order, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed around the areas where these unauthorized plants were located.

The decision to demolish the illegal coke plants and take appropriate legal action has been taken from an order issued by the Meghalaya High Court in December 2022. The court responded to a PIL stressing the importance of scrapping these works to restore the ecological balance.

The ongoing demolition of more than 30 illegal coke plants in East Jaintia Hills district shows the government's commitment to protect the environment and protect public health. This proactive measure aims to rectify the ecological damage caused by these unauthorized operations and set an example for sustainable industrial practices in the region.

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