Shillong, July 31: The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) strongly condemns the manner in which the so-called Public Hearing for the proposed mining project of Shree Cement Ltd. was conducted at Lum Syrman, Daistong, Elaka Nongkhlieh, East Jaintia Hills District.
Far from being a democratic consultation, the exercise was a blatant violation of the very spirit of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, which mandates meaningful public participation before environmental clearance is granted.
The events surrounding the hearing have reduced what ought to have been a transparent statutory process into a complete mockery of democracy and natural justice.
The HYC questions why the hearing was scheduled as early as 8:00 A.M., effectively restricting the participation of affected farmers, residents, and other stakeholders. More disturbingly, several affected villagers, local organisations, and NGOs were allegedly prevented from entering the venue, while individuals who had expressed dissent against the project were reportedly detained since the previous evening.
Reports of tear gas being used and security personnel stopping members of the public from reaching the venue are deeply alarming and amount to an unacceptable suppression of the people’s constitutional rights guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India.
Equally disturbing are reports that public roads were deliberately dug up, stones were allegedly pelted, and private properties were damaged by supporters of the project proponents, thereby preventing free and peaceful access to the hearing. Such incidents raise serious concerns over the neutrality of the administration and the integrity of the entire process.
A Public Hearing cannot be called “public” when those most affected are denied the opportunity to be heard through intimidation, detention, and physical obstruction. What took place at Lum Syrman was not a Public Hearing but a Private Hearing between the project proponent and those in positions of power, while the voices of the indigenous communities were deliberately kept outside.
Any environmental clearance or approval based on such a fundamentally flawed process will lack public legitimacy and will remain open to serious legal challenge.
Development cannot and must not be pursued by trampling upon the constitutional rights of indigenous communities. The people of Meghalaya deserve transparency, accountability, and genuine public consultation-not coercion, intimidation, and corporate favouritism.
