Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed the Assembly on Friday that the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board has issued eight new consents to operate stone quarries (2 in West Khasi Hills, 3 in West Garo Hills, and 1 each in West Jaintia Hills, East Garo Hills, and Eastern West Khasi Hills).
On staff shortage at the Board, Sangma said regional offices are lacking and most work is handled from Shillong, making access difficult for applicants from Tura and other parts of the state. “We are in the process… offices for Tura and other locations are going to be established,” he added.
Responding to quarry concentration in West Garo Hills, he said 59 quarries operate legally there and applications from other districts are processed as received. “Reasons could be many—maybe locations are not feasible,” he said. On illegal quarries, he said 17 cases led to closures and penalties under mining rules. According to him, there are 8 legal quarries in Ri Bhoi district.