Shillong, June 18: The Jaintia Students Union (JSU) has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to seek cancellation of the environment clearance accorded to the Star Cement Meghalaya Limited for expansion of its mining project at Brishyrnot village in East Jaintia Hills district.
In its letter to the chairperson of the NGT on Friday, the JSU said, “It is sincerely demanded that the environmental clearance…issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is revoked/cancelled/annulled/stayed/recalled or be kept in abeyance with immediate effect and further no mining operation/expansion is allowed…”
It said that despite strong opposition from the local groups, the Ministry had granted the environmental clearance to Star Cement for its mining lease area of 42.05 Ha located at Brishyrnot village with production capacity of 2.507 million TPA of limestone and 0.217 million TPA of shale.
Stating that the environmental clearance is highly illegal and violative of the prescribed rules and norms, the JSU said, “It is evident that the State Pollution Control Board has usurped the rights of the local residents and groups and has forcefully suppressed the voices of the concerned people.”
“The said public hearing was held in the absence of the concerned and affected groups and moreover, the no-objection obtained by the concerned authorities from the local villagers is highly arbitrary, coerced and without the knowledge of the affected groups and the JSU, which represents a large population of the affected persons,” it added.
The JSU also pointed out that the proposed project site is located 1.38 kms away from the Lukha river adding the eastern boundary of the project site is shared with the Um Lunar River and the northern boundary of the mining site is adjacent to the Umso Nallah river.
According to them, these rivers have grown to be major sources of livelihood for the people of the neighboring villages, however, their plight is not taken into consideration whatsoever.
It further alleged that the mining site is also only 1.4 kms from the Narpuh wildlife sanctuary while the mining lease boundary is only around 0.25 kms from the eco-sensitive zone of the sanctuary, thereby posing a grave threat to the ecological balance of the region and its flora and fauna.
On the other hand, the JSU also expressed shock over the state government’s blatant denial of its involvement while recommending and granting the clearance for the mining project of the Star Cement Meghalaya Limited despite the apparent actions of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.
“The Undersigned totally object the Environmental Clearance issued to the said company since the letter issued and recommended by the Meghalaya State pollution Control Board that was sent to the regulatory authority on the 3.03.2020 was completely a deliberate concealment and the MSPC has submitted a false and misleading information to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and we please to invoke para 8 (vi) of the EIA,2006 to reject or cancel a prior environmental clearance that was already granted and to follow the rules of natural justice,” it stated.
Meanwhile, an objection on the matter was also submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Friday.
