Guwahati: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has escalated its inquiry into the controversial Adani Group cement project in Assam’s Dima Hasao district by issuing a formal notice to the District Commissioner.
The Commission directed the official to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within seven days, questioning the allotment of 9,000 bighas of tribal land in Umrangso.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Local residents allege that authorities transferred the land without prior consent and in violation of constitutional protections.
This development follows a petition submitted by the Indigenous Peoples Party (IPP), which warned that the proposed cement plant, promoted as Asia’s largest, could displace over 14,000 tribal families, including members of the Karbi, Dimasa, Naga, and Adivasi communities. The petition also cited potential ecological damage to a region rich in biodiversity.
Despite having issued an earlier notice on March 7, 2024, the NCST received no response from the district administration. The Commission has now warned that it may invoke its constitutional powers under Article 338A, which allow it to summon officials for a personal appearance, should the administration fail to comply.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
At the core of the dispute is a 1,200-hectare (9,000 bighas) stretch of khas land under the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), which was reportedly handed over to the Adani Group without transparent procedures or consultations with the affected communities. Activists argue this action violates provisions of the Sixth Schedule and undermines long-standing customary rights of indigenous people over ancestral lands.
Mridul Garlosa, a leading voice in the opposition, welcomed the NCST’s intervention. He criticized the process as opaque, claiming authorities issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) without informing villagers.
Garlosa linked this case to a broader pattern, citing similar land transfers in the past to companies like NEEPCO, AMDC, Vinay Cement, and the Lower Kopili Hydro Electric Project, all allegedly executed without meaningful community engagement.
Villagers from Borolokhindong, Sikilangso, Checkso, Borolobang, and Chotolobang have raised alarms about potential mass displacement, loss of cultural heritage, and environmental destruction if the project proceeds.
Rajen Timung, IPP’s chief coordinator, called the NCST’s notice a significant win for indigenous rights. He compared it to the group’s previous success in Karbi Anglong, where its advocacy led the Asian Development Bank to withdraw a $434 million loan for a solar project that threatened tribal land.
“This is a fight to preserve our identity and future,” Timung said. “We will use legal and democratic tools to hold both corporate and government actors accountable.”
Tensions have further intensified as the Directorate of Geology and Mining (DGM) reportedly floated tenders for eight limestone blocks in the Umrangso area, allegedly without consulting the NCHAC.
Activists claim the Adani Group is poised to win those tenders and accuse the Assam government of sidelining the autonomous council to speed up industrial expansion.
Garlosa also warned of new threats, claiming that three more cement plants, backed by Ambuja Cement, Dalmiya Cement, and another private entity, are awaiting approvals. He alleged that the state government is pressuring NCHAC to issue additional NOCs without involving the local population.
The opposition has now drawn support from a growing network of civil society groups across the region. Organizations such as the Khasi Students’ Union, along with the Meghalaya Chief Secretary and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, have received formal communications alerting them to the situation.
With the NCST stepping in, both the Assam government and the Adani Group now face renewed scrutiny.
The conflict has reignited broader concerns around tribal land rights, environmental sustainability, and the unchecked growth of corporate influence in protected tribal areas of Northeast India.