A committee led by Justice (Retd) B.P. Katakey, constituted by the Meghalaya High Court, has directed the state government to immediately demolish 33 illegal coke oven plants operating in East Jaiñtia Hills and West Khasi Hills districts.

In its 33rd interim report, the committee noted that despite repeated directives, no demolition had taken place so far. It identified 16 illegal plants in East Jaiñtia Hills and 17 in West Khasi Hills, warning that failure to act could allow continued use of coal sourced from illegal mining.

The directive aligns with a Supreme Court order issued on November 25, 2024, which called for the demolition of coke plants violating environmental siting norms. The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) informed the committee that nine non-compliant coke plants in West Khasi Hills are already non-operational, while 17 others have ceased functioning.

The panel has recommended quarterly inspections by the MSPCB to prevent the re-establishment of illegal plants. It has also directed the state government to submit a compliance report within a week, while the MSPCB and the Mining and Geology Department must file quarterly action-taken reports.