Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma rubbishes Opposition's charges

COAL EXTRACTION IN JAINTIA HILLS

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma rubbished the allegations made by the Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma on the alleged continuous extraction of coal in the twin districts of Jaintia hills. He also castigated his political rival of "making political statements without any purpose".

Speaking to newsmen soon after the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the Opposition have been speaking on the issue without facts and figures.

The leader of the Opposition had said that officials have been working under duress to the extent that assessment of the extracted coal after the NGT ban does not tally at all. However, the Chief Minister rebuffed the allegations by saying, "that is a political statement by the Opposition for political purposes".

"He is speaking without facts and figures," he said, adding that "the Opposition have been making statements which are contradictory in all realms". He further said that "the shifting in their stands is an indicator of their confusion".

The Chief Minister further said, "the Government has been following all the procedures as laid down by the NGT and the Supreme Court on matters related to the auctioning and transportation of coal.

On the auctioning of extracted coal, as recorded to be 32 lakhs metric tonnes, the Chief Minister said that the government is facing a little bit of challenges because of the new encounters that the officials are facing. However, the Chief Minister reiretated that the auctioning of the extracted coal is going on in the manner laid down by the NGT and the apex Court.

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