By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 5: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Khliehriat Circle, has demanded the immediate suspension of a public hearing scheduled for May 22 regarding a proposed limestone mining project by Shree Cement Limited at Lum Syrman.
The company has proposed mining across 217 hectares in Elaka Nongkhlich. In a letter to the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), JSU Khliehriat Circle president Livingson Sama warned that the union would launch district-wide protests and move the National Green Tribunal or the High Court if the clearance process proceeds.
The JSU alleged the project is being advanced under an invalid Terms of Reference (TOR) and called for the plan to be scrapped. The union pointed out a statutory anomaly, noting that while the project is classified as “Category B1,” any mining lease exceeding 50 hectares must be treated as “Category A” under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006. Such projects require appraisal by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, rather than state authorities.
Environmental concerns were also highlighted, particularly the project’s proximity to the Wah Litein River. The union argued that mining and blasting could contaminate the river, which serves as a primary water source for local farmers. Additionally, the JSU stated that the environmental report failed to address the impact on the region’s fragile limestone karst topography and cave systems.
The union further challenged the legality of the land transaction, claiming the company’s rights are based on an “Agreement for Sale” dated October 6, 2025. They argued that the transfer of community tribal land to a corporate entity potentially violates the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971.
Asserting that the land title remains under dispute, the JSU stated that environmental clearances should not proceed and vowed to protect the ecological and community interests of the Jaintia Hills.
