By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Joint Inspection Team (JIT) constituted by the State Government to conduct fresh investigation to ascertain if cement companies operating in Jaintia Hills district have violated environmental norms by operating in forested areas, is expected to complete its probe within July.
“The team is expected to complete its inquiry within July and submit the report to the State Government,” Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong informed here on Wednesday.
The Inspection Team comprises of two members – Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) CP Marak and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, Regional Office, BN Jha.
Tynsong informed that the Inspection Team was constituted after the intervention of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court which questioned the authenticity of the earlier High-Level Committee to probe into the allegations that cement plants were operating on forest lands.
The High Level Committee (HLC), formed by the State Government, had indicted eight cement companies operating in mineral-rich Jaintia Hills district for violating clauses of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 by operating in ‘thick’ forested areas.
The HLC in its report submitted to the Meghalaya government on November 25 last year had stated: “Going by the yardstick of the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills Autonomous District (Management and Control of Forests) Act, 1958, these (eight) companies are situated in the midst of forest lands.”
The eight cement companies which allegedly flouted the environmental norms includes Cement Manufacture Co Ltd (Star Cement), Meghalaya Cement Ltd (TOPCEM), Adhunik Cement Ltd, JUD Cement Private Ltd, Hill Cement Company Ltd, Goldstone Cement Ltd, Green Valley Industries Ltd, and Amrit Cement Industries Ltd.
On November 1 last year, the CEC had written to the State Government questioning the HLC’s authority to identify forest areas by referring to a Supreme Court ruling on Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Limited (LUMPL) case passed on July 6, 2011.