Controversy surrounds the proposed limestone mining project at Lum Syrman in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district as local groups question the transparency of regulatory bodies. The Jaintia National Council has publicly accused the State Expert Appraisal Committee of allegedly favoring Shree Cement during the processing stages of the venture, pointing out the committee's decision to press ahead despite an active government-appointed fact-finding inquiry.
Questions Raised Over Committee Impartiality and Payments
Jaintia National Council Central Executive Committee president Bah Sambormi Lyngdoh issued a statement claiming that the panel's actions undermine fair processing and transparency. He specifically questioned an alleged payment of Rs 1,08,75,000 made by Shree Cement to the committee in the preceding month, demanding to know if the transaction represented a price for the committee's cooperation, though the statement did not elaborate on the specific purpose of the funds.
Environmental Clearance and Authority Intervention
According to information obtained by the organization, the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority recently reviewed a communication from the appraisal committee seeking approvals for Environmental Clearance and Consent to Establish for the 217-hectare mining venture. The appraisal panel had previously recommended the project after vetting requirements submitted by the industrial firm.
However, the environmental authority withheld final approval on the grounds that the matter remained under active examination by the state government's Fact-Finding Committee, ruling that no definitive action could be taken until that process concluded. The authority subsequently referred the file back to the appraisal committee for a re-examination of relevant documentation.
Dual Roles and Public Hearing Concerns
The council president expressed alarm that the appraisal committee's Member Secretary, G. H. Chyrmang, also serves as the Member Secretary for the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, which originally organized the public hearing for the project. Local residents and landowners from Elaka Nongkhlieh recently participated in a separate public hearing in Shillong convened by the fact-finding body.
This inquiry committee was established specifically to address grievances from residents who felt excluded or silenced during the initial public hearing managed by the pollution control board. The council questioned why the appraisal committee continued evaluating project files without apparently factoring in the ongoing proceedings of the fact-finding committee.
Court Recognition and Government Accountability
Highlighting legal developments, Lyngdoh noted that a case brought by the Jaintia Students' Union before the Meghalaya High Court resulted in the court acknowledging the inquiry committee by permitting submissions to be placed before it. He questioned whether government bodies are respecting executive decisions and alleged that the appraisal committee's persistence reflects double standards.
He warned that the fact-finding inquiry risks becoming a diversion tactic if regulatory processing continues unabated. The organization urged the state government to take decisive action against the appraisal committee if it acted independently, while cautioning that prior government knowledge of these actions would point to a deeper partnership between officials and the industrial applicant.
