SHILLONG, AUG 27: The Meghalaya Eco-Friendly Students’ Union (MEFSU) on Wednesday served 30 days deadline to the state government to close the nine cement companies operating within ‘forest-lands’ in East Jaintia hills district failing which it threatened to take the matter with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
“If the state government fails to issue closure notices within 30-day time, we would have no other option but to approach the NGT to seek its immediate intervention into the gross violation of the state’s Forest Conservation Act by the cement companies operating in forest lands located in the East Jaintia hills district,” MFSU president Rangdajied Marwein told reporters after meeting the state forest and environment minister Prestone Tynsong.
According to Marwein, as per the section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, it has clearly indicated that, “No forest land shall be used for non-forestry purposes”.He said, “We will also prepare a detailed-report about the various norms which these cement companies have violated and its impact on the environment and the surroundings which will then be submitted to the NGT along with our petition.”
The NGT which imposed a complete ban on unscientific rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya will have its next sitting on the matter in the month of October.
Marwein, however, said the union cannot say whether it may approach the NGT during its upcoming hearing on the ban on coal mining but definite will do at some point of time.”
According to Marwein, the nine cement companies operating in the forest lands include-Adhunik, Amrit, CMCL, Cosmos, Green Valley India cement Ltd, Goldstone Cement Ltd, Hill Cement Company Ltd, JUD Cement Ltd and Meghalaya Cement Ltd.
“These cement companies have completely violated the section 2 (sub section 1, 2 and 3) of the Forest Act but encroaching their establishments into the forest lands,” Marwein claimed. He informed that the Joint Inspection Team (JIT), constituted by the state government has unearthed misuse of around 1600 hectares of land by these companies.
“This is a clear indication that the cement companies have violated the very sanctity of the FC Act, 1980 but no action has been taken by the state government till today,” Marwein said.
Further, the union has also demanded punishment to the stakeholders of the cement companies as per section 3A of the FC Act, 1980.“The state government should also take necessary action against any employee involved in the scam,” Marwein said.
Marwein however informed that the minister however had said the government cannot put any penalty clause since it its fault,
Referring to CAG report which stated that 16 cement companies in Meghalaya did not get clearance for limestone mining from the MOEF, Marwein said, “It is a shame for the government that it has no knowledge about the affairs of its own department and of the environment.”
According to the CAG report, a high level committee comprising of an Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) from the MoEF and the state conservator of Forest has found out that 38.11 hectare out of 42.87 hectare fall within forest areas, in contravention of the mineral conservation and development rules, 1988.
Stating that coal mining is not the only reason for the environmental degradation, Marwein pointed out at the rivers in Jaintia Hills like Lukha which he said cannot be blamed just on coal mining, but the cement companies are also responsible for polluting the river bodies and air in the region.
Meanwhile, the MEFSU also demanded the state government to restore back the definition of forest as defined in the United Khasi – Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Forest Act, 1980.
“The state government had in recent year had amend the definition of forest without taking the view and opinion of the stakeholders and have also disregarded the Supreme Court ruling,” Marwein informed.
According to him, as per the Supreme Court, the word forest should be understood by dictionary meaning only.-By Our Reporter
It would be a commendable job if the MEFSU is indeed serious and really mean to preserve the environment perpetually . I personally feel the cement companies should be banned from operating its manufacture since they have violated certain rules of the forest. Not only the companies are to be blamed there are officials whose palms had been greased should be exposed and punished. It is awfully unfortunate that our leaders seem to be ignorant about these flaws. Who are the real culprits?
KEEP IT UP MEFSU!
This is so Good news and the culprits are many of those in power, even JHADC…even to the extent of allowing selling of forest land … And our leaders (intellectual ones) know what is going on but keep mum for reasons best known to their pockets….So Keep it up MEFSU….