Environmental Clearance for New Cement Plant in Meghalaya Faces Pushback from MP.

Meghalaya’s Lok Sabha MP Ricky A J Syngkon has called for an immediate halt to the environmental clearance process for a proposed integrated cement plant in East Jaintia Hills, citing potential environmental and procedural concerns.

In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Syngkon requested suspension of ongoing proceedings related to the project proposed by Shree Cement Limited at Daistong village. He urged an independent review into alleged procedural irregularities and the cumulative environmental impacts of the project before any further administrative action.

The proposed plant includes a 0.95 million tonnes per annum clinker unit, a 0.99 million TPA cement grinding unit, a 15 MW captive power plant, a 7 MW waste heat recovery system, and related infrastructure covering 25.08 hectares.

Syngkon highlighted that East Jaintia Hills already hosts multiple cement and extractive industries. Evaluating projects in isolation, he said, could compromise environmental safeguards, particularly affecting air quality, groundwater, river systems, agricultural land, and forest cover. He warned that granting clearance without a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment would violate sustainable development principles and the precautionary approach upheld by Indian environmental law.

The MP also flagged concerns raised by local residents, who alleged serious deficiencies in the statutory public hearing conducted under the EIA Notification, 2006, claiming they were prevented from meaningful participation. “If established, such irregularities would undermine the integrity of the environmental clearance process,” he noted.

Emphasizing that Meghalaya falls under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Syngkon stressed the importance of protecting tribal land rights and customary tenure systems. He called for verification of compliance with the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971, and clarity on the issuance of no-objection certificates. Proceeding without addressing these matters, he warned, could spark constitutional and public conflicts.

The MP requested that the ministry suspend further processing of the environmental clearance application and conduct an independent review of the public hearing, cumulative environmental impact assessment, and statutory land safeguards. He also urged that no final clearance be granted until the review findings are recorded.

Invoking Article 21 of the Constitution, Syngkon underlined that environmental protection and livelihood security are essential components of the right to life. “As the elected representative of the affected constituency, I am duty-bound to convey the gravity of public concern,” he said, adding that he may seek parliamentary and institutional remedies if the matter moves forward without a satisfactory review.