Guwahati: The Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) has raised serious concerns over the handling of Shree Cement’s proposed 217-hectare limestone mining project at Lum Syrman in East Jaiñtia Hills, alleging that the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) has proceeded with the company’s environmental clearance process despite an ongoing government-appointed Fact-Finding Committee inquiry.
In a statement, JNC Central Executive Committee president Bah Sambormi Lyngdoh alleged that Shree Cement’s entry into Meghalaya, particularly Elaka Nongkhlieh in East Jaiñtia Hills, had been accompanied by several problems, including what he described as the use of gangs, police personnel and government departments to suppress public rights.
Lyngdoh said the organisation had recently learnt that the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), during one of its meetings in the previous month, considered a communication from SEAC concerning the company’s proposed limestone mining project at Lum Syrman.
According to him, SEAC had forwarded a recommendation seeking Environmental Clearance (EC) and Consent to Establish (CTE) after completing its appraisal of the documents submitted by Shree Cement.
However, SEIAA reportedly declined to grant environmental clearance at that stage, stating that the project remained under examination by the state government’s Fact-Finding Committee and that no decision could be taken until the process was completed. The authority subsequently referred the relevant documents back to SEAC for further examination.
JNC questions SEAC’s conduct amid fact-finding inquiry
Questioning the timing and conduct of SEAC, Lyngdoh alleged that the committee had proceeded with the company’s application without adequately considering the ongoing Fact-Finding Committee proceedings.
He claimed that the circumstances raised questions about the committee’s impartiality and suggested that there could be developments behind the scenes.
Lyngdoh also pointed to an administrative overlap, noting that Bah G. H. Chyrmang, MFS, serves as the Member Secretary of both SEAC and the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), which had conducted the earlier public hearing for the project.
The JNC president said the organisation was particularly concerned because the Fact-Finding Committee had recently held a public hearing in Shillong to receive submissions from civil society organisations and residents of Elaka Nongkhlieh.
He said representatives of local communities, especially landholders possessing pattas and claiming rights over Lum Syrman, had participated in the hearing to place their concerns before the committee.
According to Lyngdoh, the Fact-Finding Committee was constituted to hear residents who, the JNC claims, did not receive an adequate opportunity to express their views during the earlier public hearing conducted by the MSPCB.
He questioned why SEAC continued processing matters related to the project while the government-appointed committee was still examining the grievances of affected residents.
JNC refers to JSU’s High Court case
Lyngdoh also referred to the ongoing legal proceedings initiated by the Jaiñtia Students’ Union (JSU), stating that the Meghalaya High Court had continued to recognise the Fact-Finding Committee and had allowed the student organisation to submit its representations before the panel.
He questioned why SEAC appeared to be proceeding independently of the fact-finding exercise despite the government’s decision to constitute the committee.
The JNC president described the situation as a possible instance of conflicting approaches within government institutions and questioned whether the Fact-Finding Committee’s proceedings were being given due importance.
He further expressed apprehension that the committee’s exercise could become ineffective if SEAC continued examining documents connected to the earlier MSPCB public hearing while the Fact-Finding Committee was separately hearing objections from residents.
JNC demands government intervention
The organisation has called on the Meghalaya government to clarify the circumstances surrounding SEAC’s actions and ensure that the Fact-Finding Committee’s mandate is respected.
Lyngdoh demanded strict action against the appraisal committee if it had deliberately disregarded the ongoing inquiry.
He also questioned whether the fact-finding exercise was a genuine attempt to address public grievances or merely a way to deflect attention while the environmental clearance process continued.
The JNC president alleged that if SEAC was acting with the knowledge of the state government, it would raise serious questions about the relationship between the government and Shree Cement.
He warned that the public hearing organised by the Fact-Finding Committee in Shillong would serve little purpose if SEAC continued processing documents arising from the earlier MSPCB hearing without adequately considering the concerns raised by affected residents.
The JNC reiterated its demand for transparency and accountability in the handling of the limestone mining project and urged the state government to clarify the respective roles of SEAC, SEIAA and the Fact-Finding Committee.