Shillong, Nov 28: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) has demanded halt to a scheduled public hearing for the proposed Shree Cement Project at Daistong in East Jaintia Hills, alleging illegal land transfer from a tribal landowner to a non-tribal individual.
In a press statement issued on Friday, JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh said the deal violates the Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act, 1971, and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (ADC) rules.
He also said the EIA report lacks essential documents, including ADC approval and mutation records.
Demanding halt to the public hearing scheduled for December 2025, the JNC alleged breaches of several established norms in the process.
It also accused the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) of dereliction of its duty by proceeding without scrutinising the land ownership and potentially harming tribal rights protected by the Constitution.
The JNC demanded an inquiry into the land ownership and warned of civil unrest if the project advances without resolving these issues.
Meanwhile, the JNC dismissed Shree Cement’s employment promises as unreliable, citing local skill gaps and the absence of training plans.
