Expert panel to be formed to study Jaintia Hills forest
SHILLONG: The Meghal-aya Eco-Friendly Students’ Union (MEFSU) has decided to constitute an expert committee to conduct a detailed study on the forest areas in Jaintia Hills which has been destroyed due to the operations of the various cement plants.
Besides its members the committee will consist of some experts from NEHU.
“We have decided to conduct this exercise before submitting our petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) demanding the closure of the nine cement plants in Jaintia Hills for violating the various provision of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 by operating inside the forest areas,” MEFSU president Rangdajied Marwein told newsmen here on Friday.
According to Marwein, they will like to build a strong case against the cement plants before they filed the petition to the tribunal.
“The nine cement plants in Jaintia Hills have violated Section 2 of the Act which clearly states that ‘no forest land shall be used for non-forestry purposes,” MEFSU president said.
Earlier, the Union had given the State Government an ultimatum of 30 days to close down the nine cement plants in Jaintia Hills for violating the various provision of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 by operating inside the forest areas.
The nine companies which have 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.
No NOC demand: Meanwhile, the MEFSU has urged the KHADC CEM Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit not to grant NOC to the Hyderabad-based firm M/S BSC-C &C (JV) for mining of coal in Riangdo areas in West Khasi Hills.
“As per the RTI findings, the Hyderabad-based firm has already got the mining lease from the State Government earlier this year. Now, it is only the KHADC who can stop the mining of coal by not giving the NOC to the firm,” the MEFSU president told newsmen after meeting the KHADC CEM here on Friday.
Marwein revealed that the same firm is currently implementing the Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road project.