SHILLONG, June 18: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has written to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) demanding the revocation of the environmental clearance issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to Star Cement Meghalaya Limited, for mining of limestone.
“It is sincerely demanded/requested that the Environmental Clearance vide letter No J –11015/17/2019-IA.II(M) dated 22-04-2019, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is revoked/cancelled/annulled/stayed/recalled/or be kept in abeyance with immediate effect…
“And further, no mining operation/expansion is allowed by the government and the concerned departments due to the regular and evident non-compliances by the private companies and due to environmental and socio-economical concerns of the local residents who are directly affected by the mining project,” the JSU wrote in a letter to the Chairperson of NGT.
The students’ union said Star Cement is not obligated to obtain environmental clearance since it has not gone through the process of gaining support through public hearing and that the proposed mine is located near the Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary at a distance of only 1.4km and 0.25 km from the eco-sensitive zone.
The JSU said it had submitted its objection before the Chairman of Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) against granting any further clearance to the said project citing various socio-economical, ecological and environmental reasons.
It said the MSPCB-proposed public meeting was postponed and called off due to stiff opposition from several quarters and stakeholder groups after which, it was fixed on November 21, 2020 at the campus of the office of Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills at Khliehriat.
Pointing out that despite strong opposition from local groups, the Ministry had granted environmental clearance to Star Cement, the JSU said the clearance is highly illegal and violative of the prescribes rules and norms.
“It is evident that the State Pollution Control Board has usurped the rights of the local residents and groups and has forcefully suppressed the voices of the affected people,” the JSU said.
The students’ body said the said public hearing was held in the absence of the affected groups. It said no-objection obtained from the local villagers is highly arbitrary, coerced and without the knowledge of the affected groups and the JSU, which represents a large population of the affected persons.
“Shockingly and surprisingly, the state government has blatantly denied its involvement while recommending and granting the clearance for the said mining project to Star Cement despite the apparent actions of the MSPCB,” it stated.
Meanwhile, JSU general secretary, Treiborlang R Suchen said, “The sanctuary and the eco-sensitive zone is host to wide varieties of animals including endangered species and the project will harm their habitat. Also, aquatic life will be affected from river Lunar and the stream of Umso Nallah which are adjacent to the proposed limestone mine.
He said the others who will be affected are the people residing in villages in the vicinity who earn their livelihood from these rivers and forest lands.
Condemning the DC of East Jaintia Hills and the MSPCB, he said, “They had written misleading recommendations to the Ministry whereby they invoked para 7 stage 3 clause(v) so as to not follow through with the public hearing”.
Suchen said given the opposition from various quarters, the government chose to register the opinions of only selected parties or people in support of the proposed expansion of the mine.
Questioning the silence of the Chief Executive Member of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council on the environmental clearance, he said, “The JSU expresses that the role of the District Council is not acknowledged which was given the jurisdiction for safeguarding the land and forest rights as powers granted by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India”.
