SHILLONG, June 30: Experts, policymakers, and industry leaders on Tuesday advocated for the adoption of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) to decarbonise the construction sector in the Northeast.
At a workshop organised by TARA and NECTAR in association with AVPN, stakeholders discussed the technical and economic potential of LC3, a sustainable alternative to conventional cement.
Inaugurating the session, Shrashtant Patara, CEO of Development Alternatives, stressed the urgency of decarbonizing the region’s cement industry. He warned that while the Northeast is currently carbon-positive, rapid infrastructure development could shift this balance unless green technologies are integrated.
Keynote speaker Dr Soumen Maity, CTO of TARA, highlighted that LC3 offers strength comparable to traditional cement while significantly reducing carbon emissions. He noted that the Northeast is well-suited for LC3 production due to its abundant limestone and clay resources, but called for scientific resource mapping and GIS-based tools to attract large-scale investment.
North Eastern Council (NEC) Secretary Satinder Kumar Bhalla stated that climate change has made greener technologies a necessity. He pointed out that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already established norms for LC3, providing a clear framework for its use. Bhalla emphasized that successful adoption requires coordinated policy support, financial incentives, and collaboration between the government and the real estate sector.
Director General of NECTAR, Dr Arun Sarma, added that the shift to low-carbon cement would not only support environmental goals but also create local employment and enable manufacturers to benefit from carbon credits.
The workshop concluded with a call for a regional strategy to position the Northeast as a leader in sustainable construction and carbon neutrality.
