From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: Export of limestone from West Jaintia Hills, particularly from Amlarem sub-division (War-Jaintia) to Bangladesh via Tamabil – Dawki inland port has come to a halt following an order issued by the Forest Department to the Customs office.
Acting on an official notification by the Ministry of Environment, Government of India on May 18, 2012, the Forest Department has directed the Customs office to stop issuing passes to vehicles carrying boulders and limestone to Bangladesh.
According to the West Jaintia Hills DFO (Territorial Division), PK Agrahi, the Supreme Court while delivering its verdict pertaining to a case — Deepak Kumar etc Vrs State of Haryana and others — had ordered that mining leases of minor mineral including their renewal for an area less than 5 hectares be granted by the state or Union Territories only after getting environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment.
To ensure compliance with the Supreme Court directive, the Ministry has decided that all mining projects — minor and of major minerals including their renewal irrespective of the size of the lease — would henceforth require prior environmental clearance.
It may be mentioned here that huge quantity of limestone is being exported to Bangladesh via Tamabil on a daily basis which has encouraged individuals in the area to start limestone mining.
The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council has so far issued more than 21 NOCs for extraction of limestone, 25 NOCs to exporters and another 12 to transporters.
