Violation of Forest Act: Govt issued 30-day ultimatum
SHILLONG: Threatening to move the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Meghalaya Eco-Friendly Students’ Union (MEFSU) has given the State Government a 30-day ultimatum to close down nine cement plants operating in Jaintia Hills for violating various provisions of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
“These nine cement plants have violated Section 2 of the Act which clearly states that ‘no forest land shall be used for non-forestry purposes,” MEFSU president Rangdajied Marwein said after meeting Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong here on Wednesday.
According to him, the State Government will have no other option but to close down the cement plants “since they (cement companies) have violated the environmental norms by operating inside the forest areas.”
“We will be compelled to seek the intervention of NGT if Government fails to meet our demand,” Marwein said.
The nine companies which have reportedly violated the environmental norms are Adhunik Cement Limited, Amrit Cement Industries Limited,Cement Manufacturing Company Limited, Cosmos Cement Limited, Green Valley Industries Limited, Goldstone Cement Limited, Hills Cement Compnay Limited, JUD Cements Limited and Meghalaya Cement Limited.
While referring to a news report, the MEFSU president said that the Joint Inspection Team (JIT) constituted by the State Government has unearthed misuse of around 1600 hectares of land by the cement companies.
“This is a clear indication that the cement companies have violated the very sanctity of the Act. But sadly no action has been taken so far by the Government,” Marwein said. MEFSU president also recalled that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court had also endorsed the setting up of the High Level Committee (HLC) in January 2011.
“As per the suggestion, the State Government notified the committee to look into the violation of the environmental norms by these cement factories,” he said.
It may be recalled that the High Level Committee (HLC) had earlier indicted eight cement companies operating in mineral-rich Jaintia Hills district for violating the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 by operating in “thick” forested areas.
The HLC in its report submitted to the Meghalaya government on November 25 2011 had observed: “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.
He also demanded that stringent action should also be taken against officials who have allowed the cement plants to operate inside the forest areas.