Shree Cement's operations in East Jaintia Hills will remain on hold after the Meghalaya High Court agreed to hear a challenge brought by the Jaintia Students' Union, with the state government assuring the court that the company will not restart any work until a formal inquiry is completed.
State's Affidavit Freezes Work Pending Inquiry
The JSU says a state government affidavit filed before the High Court confirms that Shree Cement cannot restart operations or carry out any groundwork at the site until the planned inquiry wraps up. The government has also indicated it plans to set up a Fact-Finding Committee to examine the project from several angles, covering environmental damage, social impact, legal compliance, and separate allegations of a criminal nature tied to the dispute.
JSU Wants a Court-Monitored Probe, Not a Government Panel
Rather than accept a panel appointed by the government, the JSU has asked the High Court to order an independent investigation carried out under its own supervision. The students' organisation argues that a probe monitored directly by the court would deliver far more transparency and accountability, especially given the ongoing unease around the project and how the protests against it have been handled so far.
Next Court Date: September 7
The High Court will next look at the case on September 7, when officials are expected to place additional replies on record. The outcome of that hearing will determine whether the current suspension on Shree Cement's activities continues or is revisited.
A Parallel Battle at the Human Rights Commission
Separately, the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission is also examining the dispute. The JSU is preparing a response to reports that police and the district administration already filed with the commission concerning the alleged violence and how the protests were dealt with. According to the JSU, the commission has set September 28 as the deadline for that response.
The students' body has been sharply critical of those police and administration reports, arguing that they are vague and do not properly explain how the violence actually unfolded. It has further claimed that police documentation refers to an armed attack, said to have targeted a medical rescue team linked to the union, a detail the JSU says undercuts the official version of events.
JSU Vows to Keep Fighting in Court
The union has made clear it will keep fighting the case through the courts and insists that whoever is found responsible for the violence must face prosecution. The dispute continues against a backdrop of sustained opposition to Shree Cement's presence in East Jaintia Hills, with local residents and the students' union still pushing for a genuinely independent inquiry that stays open and accountable to the affected communities.
