Opposition to transfer of forest land for industrial development in Meghalaya

The proposed transfer of forest land for industrial development by the Meghalaya government has been met with opposition from the Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization. The organization will file a petition against the handover, citing serious risks to the community’s health and the local environment. On November 4, at Lower Lachumiere in Shillong, the HITO will deliver its appeal to the Director of the Government of Meghalaya’s Soil & Water Conservation Department.

Particularly, the industrial expansion in the CTI Byrni area is a serious problem that endangers the ecology and wildlife. The scheduled public hearing for Meghatop Cement Pvt Ltd’s construction of a new cement mill in Wahiajer Narpuh, East Jaiñtia Hills District, Meghalaya, was met with significant opposition from the union. HITO expressed its worries on the project’s potential effects on the environment and society in a letter dated October 9, 2024, sent to the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board via Shivansh Awasthi, the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaiñtia Hills District.