Shillong, Apr 23: Residents of Shnongrim village in East Jaintia Hills today went to the office of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) and submitted a memorandum to the Member Secretary to express their opposition to the public hearing to be held on May 22 on allowing Shree Cement to mine limestone from the area.
Diniwanlad Patwet said that the landowners visited the MSPCB office to express their displeasure over the issue.
Speaking to reporters, he said that the landowners who have been affected by Shree Cement’s ownership of their land will hold a protest against the Doloi and executive committee members of Nongkhlieh Elaka.
They are also against the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) for issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the company and for giving away land without the knowledge of the owners.
Meanwhile, a group of lawyers from the district has opposed the project over threats to the Litein River.
The lawyers formally called for the immediate review and verification of claims made in the draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) report regarding the proposed mining project near the river.
The lawyers are demanding an independent and transparent environmental assessment of the site to ensure that the ecological integrity of the area is not compromised by industrial activities.
Central to their grievances is a demand for the total cancellation of the proposed mining site situated in the vicinity of the Litein.
The group has proposed a strict buffer zone, insisting that no mining permits be allotted to the company within a two-kilometre radius of the water body.
They emphasised that protecting and preserving the Litein River from all forms of environmental degradation is a non-negotiable priority for the local ecosystem and the communities that depend on it.
The legal collective warned that a failure to take timely and appropriate action would necessitate legal intervention including seeking recourse before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to enforce environmental protections and ensure the long-term preservation of the Litein River and its surrounding environment.
According to them the proposed mining project spans an extensive area of approximately 217.394 hectares, and alarmingly, the boundary of the proposed mining site directly touches the boundary of the Litein River.
“This proximity raises grave concerns regarding the ecological integrity and long-term sustainability of the river,” the activists said.
They were concerned that in the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted by Shree Cement, it was stated that “no stream or river exists in the vicinity of the proposed mining site.”
However, according to them as per available GPS coordinates of the project site clearly indicate that the mining area lies adjacent to, and in direct contact with, the Litein River, thereby contradicting the claims made in the EIA report.
According to them the potential impacts of such mining activity are severe and far-reaching, which includes, irreversible damage to aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity within the Litein River.
They also stated that the project will lead to high risk of water pollution due to sedimentation, chemical runoff, and mining waste.
“There will be disruption of local livelihoods dependent on the river for agriculture, fishing, and domestic use and long-term ecological imbalance affecting downstream communities,” they stated.
