JSU slams CM over environmental clearance to Star Cement

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 16, 2021

The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has slammed the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for his alleged failure to admit that the environmental clearance accorded to the Star Cement for expansion of its limestone mining project was with the knowledge of the state government.

“The Union questioned the Chief Minister as to how he cannot come clean to give honest answer to the people that the state government is having clear knowledge of this recommendation through the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB),” the JSU said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

It informed that the Union after serving a 24-hour deadline to the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner has  received information that it was the MSPCB Member Secretary who has given the recommendation to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to issue the environmental clearance to the Star Cement Meghalaya Limited for expansion project at Brishyrnot village under Narpuh Elaka in East Jaintia Hills district.  

“(We) express our extreme resentment against the use of power by the government to suppress people’s voices who are directly affected by this mining,” the Union said.   

Further, the JSU also questioned the silent attitude of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council toward the NOC which was allegedly granted by the Brishyrnot dorbar shnong to the cement company without the consent of the district council.