Guwahati: The East Jaintia Hills administration in Meghalaya has shut down all unauthorised coke plants in the district after completing a demolition drive that rendered the remaining illegal units defunct.
Deputy Commissioner Shivansh Awasthi confirmed that none of the 11 unauthorised coke plants are operational anymore, stating that the action followed repeated violations by operators and strict compliance with Meghalaya High Court directives.
Authorities carried out the operation on December 13 under the supervision of Sub-Divisional Officer Manish Kumar. A joint enforcement team comprising officials from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and police personnel executed the drive.
The district administration had earlier identified 16 coke plants running without the mandatory statutory clearances. Officials demolished five such units in earlier phases, while the remaining 11 continued operations in violation of government norms.
In October 2025, the administration served notices to the remaining operators, asking them to submit documents for possible regularisation. However, none of the plant owners responded within the stipulated time, prompting decisive action.
During the latest operation, officials demolished seven illegal coke plants on-site, while four units had already been dismantled by their owners prior to the drive.
District officials said the crackdown underlines the administration’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and implementing court orders to curb illegal industrial activity.