The mineral-rich Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya faces an acute drinking water crisis as major rivers there have been declared “unfit” for human use due to high level of acidity caused by unsci

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Government’s clean chit to cement plants which are breaching the forest conservation act has been out rightly questioned by the Maitshaphrang Movement, an NGO which used the RTI findings to reveal the alleged exploitation of forest by these cement giants in the Khliehriat sub-division of Jaintia Hills district.

Deputy Chief Minister, In-Charge, Mining and Geology Bindo M Lanong, two days ago, said, “The officials have attested that the areas under limestone mining are not under agriculture or dense forest areas.”

SHILLONG: Endorsing the State government official team’s clean chit to four giant cement factories operating in Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Bindo Lanong attributed unscientific coal mining as a major cause of pollution of streams and rivers in Khleihriat sub division.

It is an irrefutable fact that unscientific “rat hole’ mining has contaminated the water sources and bodies within the periphery of the rich coal deposited sites of Khliehriat sub division. Adding more woes was the scientific declaration that waste from cement plants was the cause of death of aquatic lives in Lukha river.

Shillong, Feb.

SHILLONG: A joint investigation committee (JIC) comprising State Chief Conservator of Forest and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest from the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment, Regional Office has been constituted to relook into the alleged random exploitation of forest land by the cement industries in Jaintia Hills district.

The constitution of the JIC came even after the State constituted high level committee’s (HLC) findings submitted in November 2011 acknowledged that the cement industries have intruded into the forest land.

SHILLONG: After the successful implementation of the SPTS buses in the East Khasi Hills, the State Government has now decided to introduce ten buses, procured under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), in Jaintia Hills district.

Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh will formally flag off a fleet of swanky buses on February 18.

Cement plants in Jaintia Hills

SHILLONG: Amidst growing demands for closure of all cement companies operating in forest areas of Jaintia Hills, the State government has said that three companies have set up plants in the district without forest clearance.

SHILLONG: The Jaintia People Welfare Organization (JPWO), which has been opposing setting up of cement plants in Jaintia Hills district, conducted a survey of the limestone quarries, which the Ceme

SHILLONG: The RTI findings on the cement plants in Jaintia Hills has exposed the connivance of the various Government departments including the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM) would be holding a public hearing on the RTI findings relating to the activities of the cement plants based in Jaintia Hills district a