Public hearing for limestone mining called off in Meghalaya after protest

GUWAHATI

The authorities successful Meghalaya’s East Jaiñtia Hills territory connected Friday (May 22, 2026) called disconnected the nationalist proceeding for a ₹1,800-crore integrated cement works and limestone mining task aft 2 groups had a little stand-off.

Locals said a motortruck was acceptable ablaze and a fewer radical sustained insignificant injuries erstwhile supporters of the task and those opposed to it faced each different astatine Lum Syrman, the venue of the nationalist hearing. This was the 2nd struggle betwixt the 2 groups successful arsenic galore days.

On Thursday (May 21, 2026), constabulary utilized batons to disperse the 2 groups who clashed adjacent the District Magistrate’s bureau successful Khliehriat, the territory headquarters. At slightest 2 radical were injured successful that clash.

“The nationalist proceeding was called disconnected aft members of the Jaiñtia National Council (JNC), Jaiñtia Students’ Union, and Hima Sutnga Youth Federation stormed the tract chosen for the nationalist hearing,” JNC publicity caput Mebanteilang Sukhlaiñ told The Hindu.

The territory authorities confirmed the cancellation of the proceeding aft listening to some groups. “The procedural aspects of the proceeding could not beryllium completed, arsenic some parties, particularly those against it, were not allowing the nationalist hearing,” the district’s Superintendent of Police, Pankaj Kumar Rasgania, told journalists.

He besides said the arson incidental was not astatine the tract but connected the mode to it. “We are yet to ascertain who acceptable the motortruck connected fire, and who it belongs to,” helium added, insisting that determination was nary law-and-order situation.

Trouble had been brewing implicit the arguable task aft Shree Cements Pvt Ltd projected establishing it successful Daistong colony immoderate clip ago. According to the blueprint, the works would person a clinker capableness of 0.95 MTPA and a cement capableness of 0.99 MTPA upon completion by March 2028.

A radical of astir 60 villagers had challenged the task successful the High Court of Meghalaya, contending that the onshore successful Daistong was nether their usage and occupation. Seeking an interim enactment connected the nationalist hearing, their counsel told the tribunal that the enforcement summary prepared by the task proponent had wrongly described the onshore arsenic barren.

On May 20, the precocious tribunal declined to enactment the nationalist hearing, observing that the petitioners could contiguous their objections and supporting materials earlier the authorities during the hearing.

The United Joint Action Committee of NGOs, comprising immoderate 20 organisations, supports the project. One of the constituents of the conglomerate is the East Jaiñtia Small Miners and Dealers Association.