Shillong, August 6: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has demanded the immediate annulment of the public hearing conducted on July 31, 2026, for the proposed M/s Shree Cement Limited project at Lum Syrman, East Jaiñtia Hills, alleging serious procedural irregularities and violations of the rights of affected stakeholders. In a statement, the union said a delegation comprising Central Body President Jersom Shylla, Education Secretary Bocheru Mi Pohsnem, and Finance Secretary Tricky Mukhim met the Chairman of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) and Member Secretary of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Shri R. Nainamalai (IFS), to submit a legal representation seeking the cancellation of the public hearing.
The delegation also met CPCB Scientist C Shri Arnab Mandal and the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaiñtia Hills to submit the memorandum and demand accountability over the conduct of the hearing.
The JSU stated that after exhausting all available legal avenues at the state level, it has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the concerned authorities to take corrective action. It warned that failure to respond within the stipulated period would compel the union to escalate the matter before higher authorities, including the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High Court of Meghalaya, besides launching democratic protests against the government.
Listing its grievances, the JSU alleged that the statutory public hearing lasted only 46 minutes and claimed that farmers, landowners and other affected persons opposing the project were deliberately prevented from participating, while only selected individuals were allowed to attend.
The union further alleged that state police barricaded legitimate stakeholders at Lad Shnongrim despite directions issued by the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaiñtia Hills allowing their participation in the hearing.
The JSU also claimed that roads leading to the venue were deliberately excavated and blocked, allegedly by hired miscreants, to prevent members of the public from attending the hearing. According to the union, the road blockade also resulted in a medical emergency in which a pregnant woman reportedly had to deliver her baby inside a stranded vehicle.
The union has demanded that the July 31 public hearing be declared null and void, that all Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) documents based on the hearing be rejected, and that a fresh public hearing be conducted under judicial or central monitoring to ensure free, safe and transparent participation of all affected stakeholders.
The JSU also called for an independent, high-level inquiry into the role of officials of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and the district police over alleged dereliction of duty and collusion during the conduct of the hearing.
Reiterating its stand, the union warned that if the government fails to act within the 10-day deadline, it will pursue legal remedies before the National Green Tribunal and the High Court while intensifying its democratic agitation against the proposed project.
