East Jaintia Hills hearing on Shree Cement project turns violent

Guwahati: Violence broke out in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district during a proposed public hearing on the Shree Cement limestone mining project at Lum Syrman under Nongkhlieh Elaka, forcing authorities to call off the hearing after the venue was vandalised and a truck was set ablaze, police said.

The hearing could not take place as a large number of people gathered at the site. A police official said a truck was torched during the unrest.

The violence came a day after clashes between two groups near the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner’s office in Khliehriat, where one group supported the proposed public hearing while the other opposed it. Two persons were injured after police resorted to baton charge to stop the clash.


On Thursday, Deputy Commissioner Manish Kumar said the district administration was prepared to handle any situation and had requisitioned additional police forces in view of protests and agitation witnessed at the Deputy Commissioner’s office over the past two days. He said the administration had managed to control the agitation and maintain order.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary George Hagi Chyrmang said the authorities were legally bound to proceed with the public hearing process under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, and subsequent amendments.

Chyrmang said the MSPCB had received both objections and letters of support regarding the limestone mining project, which covers around 217 hectares.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Thursday rejected allegations that the government was attempting to push through the proposed limestone mining project by force.