Shillong, Meghalaya: The High Court of Meghalaya has issued a significant directive, ordering state authorities to thoroughly investigate allegations of unauthorised limestone mining by Amrit Cement Industries Limited in the ecologically sensitive Jaintia Hills region. This development comes as a crucial step in a public interest litigation (PIL) that has raised serious concerns about environmental practices in the state’s mining-rich areas.
The PIL, filed by one Ranjit Chandra Goswami, squarely points to claims that Amrit Cement Industries has been extracting limestone without possessing the requisite mining licenses. The case gained considerable traction following a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by SK Sharma. This RTI revelation brought to light that Amrit Cement Industries was conspicuously absent from the official list of companies holding valid mining leases in the Jaintia Hills.
Documents sourced from the Indian Bureau of Mines’ Guwahati Regional Office in March 2022 further solidified the petitioner’s claims, explicitly stating that “the respondent No.9 did not have any license for mining limestone.” The petition subsequently alleged that the company was “indulging in illegal mining of limestone, which they are using in their factory to make cement.”
Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, presiding over the case, had previously instructed the state government to treat the petition as an informal complaint and initiate a comprehensive inquiry. The court has now acknowledged receipt of the state’s investigation report, a pivotal juncture in the ongoing legal proceedings.
The petition was formally admitted on February 19, 2025, underscoring the escalating worries surrounding environmental degradation in Meghalaya’s mineral-rich belts. The Jaintia Hills, in particular, have been notably susceptible to mining-related ecological damage, rendering this case of paramount importance for ongoing conservation efforts.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Advocate A Goyal, representing the petitioner, sought and was granted permission by the court to file an affidavit in response to the state’s inquiry report. This submission is expected by July 21. Following this, Amrit Cement Industries, whose legal representation is led by senior advocate DK Banerjee, will be afforded the opportunity to file a rejoinder before the next scheduled hearing on July 24, 2025.
Read More: Meghalaya High Court Questions State’s Claim of No Overloaded Trucks