A REPORTER
SHILLONG: The Jaintia Students' Union (JSU) has lodged a complaint before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking 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, 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 a 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 violates the prescribed rules and norms, the JSU said, "It is evident that the State Pollution Control Board has usurped the rights of the 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 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.