The Meghalaya High Court has admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) on Wednesday, which alleges illegal mining of limestone in Jaintia Hills by the Amrit Cement Company.
The PIL, filed by Ranjit Chandra Goswami, quoted information through the Right to Information Act that the company did not have any license for mining of limestone.
A division bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh has therefore directed the State government to treat the petition as an informal complaint, make the necessary inquiry and file a report before the court.
The court was informed that the RTI was filed by SK Sharma on March 2, 2022. The Guwahati Regional Office of the Indian Bureau of Mines under the Ministry of Mines, Government of India specified the number of companies and the extent of mining leases granted to each of them in the Jaintia Hills region. According to the RTI, Amrit Company did not have any license for mining limestone.
The court said mining activity is governed, inter alia, by Section 23C of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), 1957, the Meghalaya Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016 and the Meghalaya Mineral (Prevention of Illegal mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2022.
The court said before it passes any substantive order, it will hear from the Amrit Cement Industries Limited and other non-appearing respondents.
The next hearing has been listed on April 7, 2025.
