Shillong, May 18: Protesters led by the Jaintia National Council (JNC) and Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), along with residents of Daistong village, attempted to march towards the Secretariat to demand immediate suspension of a proposed public hearing for the propose limestone mining project by Shree Cement company in East Jaintia Hills.
The rally was halted by heavy police presence near IGP point, compelling the demonstrators to stage a sit-in on the road.
Protesters claimed that the terms of reference (TOR) granted on March 28, 2026, were legally invalid, citing reasons including statutory non-compliance and material misrepresentation.
In a memorandum submitted to Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh and other members stated that the ToR granted by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) Meghalaya “is unlawful and must be suspended forthwith.”
The organisations argued that the environmental clearance process violated several constitutional and statutory provisions, including the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and provisions applicable to Sixth Schedule areas of Meghalaya.
The memorandum listed seven grounds seeking immediate suspension of the public hearing scheduled for May 22, 2026.
Among the major allegations raised was that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the East Jaintia Hills project was allegedly addressed to the “State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), Gujarat” instead of Meghalaya. The groups contended that an EIA prepared for another state could not legally serve as an assessment document for a mining project in a Sixth Schedule tribal area of Meghalaya.
The memorandum further alleged that the project should be categorised as a Category A project under the EIA Notification, 2006, since the proponent’s own EIA reportedly placed the Saipung Reserved Forest at a distance of 4.26 km from the project boundary — within the mandatory 5 km threshold. The groups claimed that conflicting distance figures submitted in Form-I and the EIA report amounted to misrepresentation, thereby invalidating SEIAA Meghalaya’s jurisdiction to grant the ToR.
The organisations also accused the company of suppressing information relating to the Saipung-Narpuh Elephant Corridor, which they said is documented in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s publication “Elephant Corridors of India 2023.” According to the memorandum, no clearance from the National Board for Wildlife Standing Committee had been obtained despite the project allegedly falling within the corridor’s study area.
Further objections included the absence of an IBM-approved mining plan, alleged reliance on a withdrawn seismic standard in the EIA report, lack of consultation with the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council despite the area falling under the Sixth Schedule, and contradictions in the EIA report regarding the presence of Schedule I wildlife species.
The groups demanded immediate suspension of the public hearing and sought a review by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Regional Office regarding the project’s classification and environmental compliance.
Following the meeting, leaders of the JNC and JSU described the discussion with the Deputy Chief Minister as “not fruitful” and warned that they would intensify their agitation if the public hearing proceeds as scheduled.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said the matter was “not under his control” but assured that he would raise the issue with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
