Shillong, October 16: The Meghalaya government-constituted fact-finding committee on the Shree Cement project held its first hearing in Shillong on Friday, receiving representations from groups both supporting and opposing the proposed project.
Commissioner and Secretary in-charge Home (Political) Cyril V D Diengdoh, who heads the committee, said more than 15 groups appeared before the panel to present their views and concerns. “The terms of reference of the fact finding committee are in public domain. People have given representations both supporting the Shree Cement project and some have raised concerns. Based on that we have done the hearing today,” Diengdoh told reporters.
He said the committee provided an opportunity to all those who had submitted representations to present their views. “More than 15 or 16 groups appeared. People who have represented wanted to be heard, so we heard them today,” he said.
Diengdoh confirmed that all submissions and depositions made during the hearing had been taken on record and would be examined before the committee arrived at any conclusion. “All this will be examined. There are many representations. Whatever hearing we have done today, all this would be taken on record,” he said.
Rejecting allegations that the hearing was a one-sided exercise, Diengdoh asserted that the committee would examine all relevant documents, facts and reports submitted by various government agencies. “There is nothing one-sided. This is not the conclusion. All the facts will be examined, all the documents, all the reports from the Pollution Control Board, from the DC, from the SP, everything will be examined in toto,” he said.
He clarified that the hearing was specifically conducted for individuals, villagers and organisations that had submitted representations, including those who wished to explain their support for the project. Responding to demands that the hearing should have been conducted at the proposed project site, Diengdoh said the committee had taken note of the concerns raised. “Whatever people have said in hearing, we have noted it down and we will accordingly act,” he said.
The committee chairman maintained that it was premature to comment on the merits of the case, as the panel had only completed its first round of hearings and would now proceed with examining the documents and reports. “Today we just had the hearing, so let us take it step by step. We will examine all the documents and facts and accordingly take a decision,” Diengdoh said. He further informed that all those summoned for the hearing had appeared before the committee, while the date for the next sitting was yet to be decided.
