New Delhi, Oct.10: Meg-halaya’s Shella Action Committee, the tribal group opposed to mining of limestone by Lafarge Umiam Mining Ltd, has filed a fresh application before the Supreme Court and has sought revocation of new environmental clearance that was given for mining in April. The application is likely to be heard by the forest bench of the apex court on Friday.
The apex court had banned mining of limestone in the East Khasi District Hills area of the state in February on application of the committee.
Lafarge was mining limestone for Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd, which runs the cement plant at Chatak in Bangladesh. It transports the limestone on a 17 km-long conveyor belt across the India-Bangladesh border. Earlier, the action committee had alleged that the mining project in the area was given clearance in 2007 on the basis of a false certificate by a forest officer.