In the early hours of July 31 when landowners and those concerned for the environment attempted to attend the public hearing they were intercepted by police at Lad Shnongrim despite having a written order from the Deputy Commissioner granting affected landowners the right to attend. In fact, the police allegedly told those intending to attend that opponents of the project would not be allowed past the checkpoint. Even senior officials and scientists of the State Pollution Control Board were not present at the hearing. Clearly the MDA Government is hell-bent on allowing Shree Cement's Rs 1800 crore limestone mining project to proceed, regardless of the environmental consequences. Such desperation by any Government to hand over a limestone mining area that passes through a heritage cave system - Krem Liat Prah interconnected with the Um im, Labit, and Rubon passages and measuring approximately 30.4 kilometres in length, has never before been witnessed. This limestone cave system is recognized as the longest natural cave in the Indian subcontinent. How such a project could receive no objection from the Ministry of Environment and Forest Department (MoEF), let alone the State Forest Department is beyond comprehension.
At this rate will projects across Meghalaya that entail public hearings meet the same fate? Is there no Opposition in Meghalaya? What about groups that pledge loyalty to the environment and the sundry pressure groups that take up issues of public interest? Perhaps what Meghalaya needs today is a protest of the scale of the GenZ demonstration in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Otherwise, we have a Government that is hell bent on riding roughshod over public sentiments on the single plea that the cement company will provide jobs for the locals. There are already about 10 cement companies in East Jaintia Hills. What has been their contribution in terms of employment and in reducing the economic burden of the people around those companies and the mining areas? What measures have been taken to offset pollution from the cement plants? Has anyone cared to do an environmental impact study yet?
What is unbelievable is that the Police which is meant to assist the public, became instead an arm of the Government, just like the Delhi Police in recent times. Access roads to the public hearing venue at Lad Tongseng were physically dug up overnight to prevent anti-mining vehicles from reaching the hearing. Clashes broke out; there was stone pelting and some vehicles were damaged. An ambulance belonging to the Jaintia Students' Union meant to provide medical assistance to injured protesters was attacked by a mob evidently siding with Shree Cements. That the hearing took just about 45 minutes is evidence enough that there were no negative voices. It was intended to look like a public hearing where everyone was of one opinion - to allow Shree Cements an opposition-less entry into Meghalaya. Will the people of Meghalaya turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the bulldozing tactics of the MDA Government? If this is the MDA Government's playbook, Meghalaya will face unprecedented environmental destruction in the near future.