The Meghalaya government continues to disclaim responsibility for issuing environmental clearance to Star Cement for its controversial Brichyrnot limestone mining project, insisting that the central government was responsible for it.
“The environmental clearance for Brichyrnot limestone mining in East Jaintia Hills to the Star Cement company was issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, which is as per the provision of law and the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment),” Forests and Environment Minister James Sangma said today.
Earlier, 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.
Today James stated that due process was followed and hearings were held but were disrupted and, accordingly, the government of India took a decision to grant the environmental clearance based on that, he said.
