Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills clears all illegal coke plants after court order

East Jaintia Hills district has been cleared of unauthorised coke plants, with all 11 illegal units now non-operational following a demolition drive carried out by the administration.

Deputy Commissioner Shivansh Awasthi said the action was taken after repeated non-compliance by plant owners and in line with directions of the Meghalaya High Court. “All 11 unauthorised coke plants are now non-operational,” he said.

The demolition drive was conducted on December 13 under the supervision of Sub-Divisional Officer Manish Kumar. A joint team comprising officials of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and police personnel was formed to carry out the operation.

According to the district administration, 16 coke plants had been identified as operating without mandatory approvals under government norms. Five of these units were demolished earlier, while the remaining 11 continued to function without authorisation.

Notices were issued to the 11 units in October 2025, directing their owners to submit compliance documents for regularisation. However, no response was received from any of the operators, the deputy commissioner said.

During the latest drive, authorities demolished seven coke plants, while four others were found to have already been dismantled by their owners ahead of the operation.

Officials said the action reflects a firm approach towards enforcing environmental regulations and court directives in the district.