Shillong, May 21: The Meghalaya High Court has declined to halt a public hearing on a proposed limestone mining project of the one Cement company in East Jaintia Hills, directing petitioners claiming occupation of the land to place their objections before the authorities on May 22.
The bench of Justice HS Thangkhiew, while hearing a petition filed by Bunlangki Sukhlain and 60 others, said the matter was still at a preliminary stage and interference was not warranted.
“The entire matter is at a nascent stage in view of the fact that as per the public notice dated 17-04-2026, the same has called for a public hearing wherein the petitioners and other interested land owners are at liberty to participate by bringing their objections, whatever it may be,” Advocate General A Kumar submitted before the court.
The petitioners are opposing limestone mining at Lum Syrman, Nongkhlieh Elaka, claiming the land is under their use and occupation.
Their counsel TL Jyrwa argued that the Executive Summary by the project proponent had misrepresented the site.
“He submits that in the Executive Summary, it has been wrongly projected that the land on which the mining is sought to be taken up is a barren land,” the order noted.
Jyrwa urged the court to stay the hearing, contending that “the rights of the petitioners will be severely affected.”
The AG pointed to a previous order dated December 16, 2025, in WP(C) No. 684 of 2025, where the court had refused interim relief against a public hearing for the same project scheduled on December 19, 2025.
“He therefore contends that the instant matter being similarly situated, no interim orders are called for,” the order stated.
Senior counsel Dr. N. Mozika, for respondent No. 5, said “the petitioners will be at liberty to place whatever objections they have at the time of public hearing which is scheduled on 22-05-2026.”
Noting that the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board’s April 17 notice had “invited suggestions, comments and objections on the matter relating to the environmental aspects of the proposed project,” the court said the petitioners could raise the land-status issue at the hearing.
“They shall be at liberty to present materials at the time of the public hearing which shall be taken into due consideration by the authorities, who are to decide the matter in accordance with law,” Justice Thangkhiew ordered.
The court further observed that “the petitioners also have recourse to alternate remedy if they have any issue with regard to title and possession of the land in question.”
The case will come up next on June 12, 2026.
Also Read: Meghalaya CM pushes tech-driven, outcome-oriented policing at SSP–COs conference
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
