By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Mait Shaphrang Movement (MSM) and Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) on Tuesday shot off a letter to the Ministry of Environment and Forests alleging violation of Forest Conservation Act, 1980 by cement companies in Jaintia Hills.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, MSM convener Michael Syiem said that the committee which was constituted to re-evaluate the findings of a High Powered Committee (HPC) has also asserted that the Act was violated by the cement companies.
According to Syiem, the joint inspection of the areas carried out by MoEF official BN Jha and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest CP Marak has found that 838 hectares of land possessed by the cement companies are forest land while it is yet to be ascertained whether the other 1140 hectares, which the companies plan to acquire, falls under forest land.
The two NGOs want the Central Government to take action in line with the Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd against these companies for violating the Act.
Syiem demanded that the Compensatory Afforestation be raised over double the forest land diverted, which is 1676 hectares, at
the rate of Rs 50000 per hectare, besides imposing other penalties.
Reacting to a query, he said that the Meghalaya Forest Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2012 which was approved by the State Government is in favour of the cement companies.
As per the Amendment, a new clause (10) has been inserted (Section 3 of the Act) which stated that an area would be ‘forest’ if it is a compact or continuous tract of minimum four hectares of land irrespective of ownership and where more than 250 naturally growing trees per hectare with size of 15 cm at breast height or more than 100 naturally growing bamboo clumps per hectare are present in case of the tracts containing predominantly sympodial bamboo.
“We will file a PIL against this amendment,” Syiem said.
