Coke factory protests: PHE Minister Tongkhar's name surfaces as owner of a factory
Speaking to The Northeast Today (TNT) on Monday during a public demonstration against the coke factories in East Jaintia Hills district, legal adviser of ECC Reading War said that the committee had gathered solid proof to show that Tongkhar owned a coke factory in the area.
SHILLONG:
In an RTI filed by the Environment Coordination Committee (ECC) with the Directorate of Commerce and Industries, the name of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar has surfaced as one of the owners of a coke factory.
Speaking to The Northeast Today (TNT) on Monday during a public demonstration against the coke factories in East Jaintia Hills district, legal adviser of ECC Reading War said that the committee had gathered solid proof to show that Tongkhar owned a coke factory in the area.
“The public is giving an ultimatum to the government to close down the coke plants in the Elaka in five days. If the government does not meet our demands, then people will have different movements,” War said, stating that the coke factories are a hazardous category of industry and should stay away from human habitation.
“When we started the protest against the establishment of coke plants, 12 of them had obtained Consent To Establish (CTE) and Consent To Operate (CTO). In the meantime, they have issued a new one belonging to a Minister from the government who is looking after the department of PHE. So now the figure is 13 units,” he added.
Thousands attended the rally from Elaka Sutnga of the district and from other adjacent Elakas of Nongkhlieh, Shangpung, and Rymbai to protest against the establishment of coke plants in the district.
The rally started from Moopala and culminated at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Speaking on the demand, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said, “It is wrong for the government to close down (factories) without any valid reasons. But if there are illegal plants, which have not followed procedures, then we are happy to get information and act on those factories. But closing down legal factories would set a wrong example of the state's stand on ease of doing business.”
Registering a strong opposition against the establishment of coke factories, this is the ECC's second rally in a month to demand a blanket ban on coke factories of East Jaintia Hills.
Last month, Khliehriat legislator Kyrmen Shylla had said that he would not oppose factories that followed environmental norms and possessed proper documents.
Shylla, while maintaining he would not allow illegal factories, had said that people invested huge sums of money and hence legal factories could not be removed.
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