Court Mandates Oversight on Amrit Cement Amid Mining Allegations

The Meghalaya High Court has ordered strict monitoring of Amrit Cement's operations in East Jaintia Hills due to alleged illegal limestone mining. While a mining licence was issued earlier this year, claims of prior illegal activities persist. The court refused to declare illegality but set monitoring protocols.

The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state government to strictly monitor Amrit Cement Ltd's operations in East Jaintia Hills in response to allegations of illegal limestone mining. The court's scrutiny is confined to the company's activities at Mulieh, Umlong village, while a broader public interest litigation (PIL) on illegal mining in the state is still pending.

Chief Justice IP Mukerji's bench recognized that Amrit Cement obtained a mining licence on January 11, 2023. Despite this, allegations of illicit mining both before and after the licence issuance remain. The state government, following an inquiry, cleared the company of any misconduct, a conclusion contested by the petitioner in a rejoinder that claimed exclusion from the inquiry process.

In light of submissions from all parties, including the state's advocate general, who argued the legitimacy of the company's limestone purchases from private vendors, the court refrained from declaring any illegal actions. However, it demanded safeguards by instructing the chief secretary to ensure the mining licence is properly used and unauthorized mining doesn't occur, with regular updates to be published on the government's website every three months.

(With inputs from agencies.)