SHILLONG, SEPT 27: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said action has been taken against as many as 11 illegal limestone quarries even as he proposed the introduction of technologies to check and control illegal mining in the state.
“Action has been taken against 11 such illegal quarries identified by the department with (the use of) GPS coordinates,” Sangma said while replying to a call attention on iillegal mining in West Jaintia Hills District moved by opposition Congress legislator from Umroi George B Lyngdoh at the last day of the 5-day Assembly autumn session here on Thursday.
The chief minister also assured the House that the state government will continue to take action against all such illegal activities that are taking place in the state.
Earlier while moving the call attention, Lyngdoh demanded that illegal mining has to stop and asserted that if mining has to be done, it should be in a legal manner so that it ensures a planned approach with strong environmental safeguards.
Stating that the illegal transportation of limestone is more startling, he wondered how the illegal miners got the challans to transport this illegally mined limestone.
“It appears that challans may have been provided by mining licence holders or fake challans must have been utilised,” Lyngdoh said while pointing out to the long line of trucks carrying limestone along the Jowai-Amlarem-Dawki road.
He said where this limestone is being transported when this road leads to only one destination, that is, Bangladesh adding the illegal transportation and also illegal exports leading to huge revenue loss and indicates corruption at various levels.
According to him, these activities could have been detected by various agencies and departments like mineral resources, forest and environment, police and BSF, transport department, customs.
The Umroi MLA also demanded the government to come up with stringent laws to book people involved in the illegal activity and to bring on board the BSF and customs to ensure only legal export of limestone is allowed.
On this, the chief minister informed that the government is looking at different technologies that could be adopted in order to ensure the system is tightened up.
“(I admit) we have financial challenges and I think if proper technology, proper administration and all stakeholders would work together I am sure will be able to reduce these kinds of illegal activities that is going on,” Sangma said.
Stating that it is a matter of concern on the way the challans are being made as they were easy to print, he said that it is time that this has to be upgraded with the use of technology.
“Technology is something we can use to really look into this aspect and control the illegal mining that is taking place and ensure the revenue that is collected by the state also goes up and our environment is also protected,” the chief minister added.
By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours