CSOs Seize 88 Boxes of Illegally Mined Minerals in South Garo Hills, Demand Crackdown on Quarry Operators

Tura: Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Chokpot, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya, confiscated 88 boxes of illegally extracted minerals hidden in a village residence near the Pharomgre mining site, intensifying calls for stringent action against unscientific quarrying.

The seized materials were immediately surrendered to Chokpot Police Station, with the groups vowing zero tolerance for resource exploitation.

A joint inspection on November 11 involving the Chokpot Civil SDO, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) officials, police, and other agencies found no visible illegal stockpiles at the quarry. CSO representatives, part of the monitoring team, alleged operators had preemptively concealed the minerals after tipping off about the visit.

“No illicit materials were spotted during the official check, but the site's condition and prior intelligence pointed to deliberate hiding. Our pleas for deeper searches went unheeded, fueling suspicions of advance knowledge," the CSOs said in a statement.

Acting on tips from locals on November 14, CSO members located the neatly packed boxes stashed away from the main area. "We conducted a meticulous search, recovered the concealed minerals, and handed them over peacefully to authorities, prioritising transparency and public safety," they added.

Labelling the episode a calculated bid to deceive regulators, flout environmental norms, and profit from Garo Hills' resources, the CSOs slammed the quarry owner and accomplices.

They demanded swift prosecutions, immediate shutdown of unauthorised operations, and a public disclosure of all mining permits in the region by the Forest Department, SPCB, and district administration.

"The residents of Chokpot and allied CSOs will not permit the illegal plunder, transport, or sale of our minerals. These resources are our cultural legacy and must be safeguarded for posterity," the groups declared.

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