[By Mr. Wandell Passah, Shillong]
That 4000 Metric Ton Of Coal Swept By Last Week July Rainfall, and Wild Reasoning By The MLA Of Jaintia Of The Coal Illegal If The NGT Ban On Rat Hole as In forced since the 2014, then it was rather the big big surprise they The reply of The Minister of Coal Oh yes he saw it in Social Media but leave aside the date of The NGT Ban on 2014.
And as a matter of fact, leave aside that Explanation and to recall the strings of events in the year 2023 to 2024 February.
It is no denying a fact that as Lok Sabha Election was nighing, the daily news of illegal transport of coal did embarrassed the Centre to summon the Chief Minister and to sort of order Mr Conrad Sangma to have to resort then to Scientific mining and 2 Coal barrons took up the challenge.
But long year of awaiting saw none venture for the 2 reasons :-
1) Consulting experts, it was found the cost of production is higher than the selling price and 2)Each miner needs to possess more than the 1sq Km of coal mine and at that time only one of the 2 challengers had the minefield name Lumiakhih (In English it is The Hillock of dispute.
But the 3rd cause is the Villagers of Lumiakhih would have to leave the Hillock and before election this was the issue threatening the NPP which is nothing but the BJP but without Washing Machine of the Home Minister, Sri Amit Shah who on One Print Media had headline “The Govt of Meghalaya is the most corrupt state”
Coming to Limestone YOY YOY YOY all forest areas in the whole world are inhabited by the Forest People and for India, Dr Ambedkar had set up the Constitution to protect them.
The Headline “E. J. H village backs proposed Limestone Mining Project and No surprise at all from” EJH DC and SP Charged with dereliction of duty “
” The Public Hearing held on Oct 18 was marred by rampant illegal obstruction caused by certain individuals, allegedly in connivance with the police and the District Authorities “
Below the HITO or Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization, wished “Conduct Fresh Public Hearing on Cement Plant :HITO to MSPCB”
And below “The New Forest Law”
No Provision for Preservation of Destroyed Eco Systems “
NDTV questioned” What Do New Laws Mean For Environment “
And” Rising Power Demand, low generation worries the Govt “
And this is The Bottom Line of The Whole Story.
History of Power Scenario in Assam and later in Meghalaya as far as new state is concerned.
1920 Beadon’s Fall 1MW enhanced by Dr Mukul Sangma to 1.5 MW the little drops.
1950 The 1950 Colombo Project harnessing The Umtrew 40 MW again raised by Dr Mukul Sangma to 45 MW(Alarmed at Coal barrons Exodus).
1967 Umiam dam project 38 MW then with 3 cascading total 174 MW.
Not enough with the Shillong City growing by leaps and bounds and lifestyle demand, Dr Mukul Sangma vied the Umngot 42 x3 MW but one armchair Environmentalist in the circle of the 2 Sangmas led a protest to cause Dr Mukul Sangma to resort to the Run of the River Project at Le Shka, Le is Jaintia Shka meeting place of 3 mighty river 126 MW but due to Climate Change and Global Warming only months of July and August could service
Mr Adani after winning that Australian most controversial coal mine of Queensland, the fear of that gathering around Australian Parliament of the antique water source in jeopardy and coral reefs, returned to India to be Incharge of Green Energy.
Surprised, in a week in Delhi the Umngot Project was ready and this time no more self styled armchair Environmentalidt.
So Umngot reached but the 1338 households to be discarded by then Protested and till date only 2 Signboards up Siangkhnai are there to tell the forgone story.
Coming to Power Minster worry, Mr A T Mondal yes Power from Athens not available and Riangdo 3 MW was mentioned and you pray for 6 MW!??
Cement Plants the size in Narpuh guzzle 118 MW hour per month, the power guzzled by say Laitumkhrah Nongthymmai and Malki
And for Public why these frequent load shedding and power rationing are there, the reason is Meghalaya Electricity Board from 2003 did not obey the 2003 IEA or Indian Electricity Act.
It all cropped out of in 1972 of The Bharat Aluminum Ltd Co advised by PM Indira Gandhi to make use of Madhya Pradesh Bauxite to manufacture Aluminum.
BALCo took too long the time to have PM to question why. The reply was 70 % is Power.
Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board made Coal fed generators (far from dwelling places)
540 MW in year 1 to 1080 MW and to 2000 MW and all factories followed suit
GOI from policy made it an Act.
And no license needed to supply or to transmit.
Tariff 
For Agri and Domestic tariff should be as low as practicable.
For Commercial and Industrial as high as possible.
But in our state look at Byrnihat the Smelting Plants tapping Umtrew and Narpuh 12 of the CP tapping Khliehriat Grid with villagers in Narpuh starved of power most of the time.
Story of Star Cement 2019 is It mouthwaterd The 8.2 km unto round the world Eco Sensitive Zone and it wished as Adenu that it would use blasting as Polluting JCBs too costly.
2 DCs helped in calling for Public Hearings 3 in number but the TUR or Thma U Rangli The Fight of the Havenots, with the DFO Jaintia Division behind them, the 3 hearings ended in smoke.
1921, James PK Sangma landed on the bank of the Lukha to tell the people of his inviting the scientists to treat the Lukha with algae.
Good no coming as algae not for acids
Then few months after, James in The Hindu Delhi Branch had the line “Detoxing Plant had brought the Lukha from dead to life”
No good news in Local Media
2022, Satnam Global Infra Ltd bought the Star Cement and after few days U Nongsain Hima had the headline “The Star Cement had got its license” and surprised below on the same front page “The Govt is not aware :, Conrad Sangma”
Had no rejoinder been sent save for few none to raise an eyebrow.
Few weeks later on Smart phone MSPCB floated a letter begging MeECL to grant another 45 MW as to enhance its capacity production.
Last date to comment was on the morrow and had to run to Post Office and speed post with delivery status and the letter “Whereas our Shillongites do not have electricity to boil GSSWS water treated with alum and bleaching powder, your body is Star Cement is baking lime minting Rs Crores a minute”
On Chimneys the ESPs or Electro Static Precipitator next time with diagram.
