The East Jaintia National Council (EJNC) has demanded the government institute an inquiry to find out how Star Cement received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for the Brichyrnot limestone mining proposal.
The ENJC has demanded the immediate cancellation of the environmental clearance and has also written to Chief Secretary MS Rao to vehemently oppose the clearance certificate issued to Start Cement.
Last week Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the clearance came from the Centre not the state, but it later emerged that the state pollution control board (MSPCB) had written to the Centre in favour of the project even though no public hearing could be held on the project because of strident local opposition. Public hearings were called off on three separate occasions because locals and pressure groups opposed their holding. However, some locals were in favour of the project and their support was used in gaining the clearance.
