LIMESTONE MINING PROPOSAL IN EAST JAINTIA HILLS

Pro and anti-public hearing groups clash, 2 hurt in police baton charge

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 21: Two persons were reportedly injured after police cane-charged to stop a clash between two groups near the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner’s office in Khliehriat on Thursday morning.

One of the groups supported the proposed public hearing on the Shree Cement limestone mining project; the other group opposed it. The public hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Sources said hundreds of residents from villages under Elaka Nongkhlieh took out a peace rally from Shi Kilo towards Khliehriat in support of the proposed public hear-ing. Tension erupted when another group opposing the public hearing, which had already gathered near the DC’s office, allegedly attempted to obstruct the rally upon its arrival.

The situation soon turned violent, prompting police intervention. Police reportedly resorted to a lathi-charge after protestors opposing the public hearing allegedly started pelting stones at security personnel.

The two injured persons were reportedly participants in the peace rally supporting the public hearing.

The United Joint Action Commit-tee of Non-Governmental Organisa-tions (UJAC), a conglomeration of 20 pressure groups led by the East Jaintia People’s United Front and the East Jaintia Small Miners and Dealers Association, condemned the police action.

The committee stated that the rally was organised to allow the people of Elaka Nongkhlieh to voice their support for the proposed public hearing.

UJAC chairman Daowanh Rym-bai said that the participants of the peace rally witnessed heavy police deployment near the DC’s office, where the gate had been closed. He alleged that confusion and confrontation broke out near the gate even before the rally reached the venue, eventually leading to a clash between police and members of the public.

Condemning the use of force, he alleged that the police had used batons on peaceful protestors par-ticipating in the rally.

Rymbai said the action amounted to a violation of the democratic rights of the public to peacefully express their views and demands.

He also urged the state govern-ment and the district administration to ensure that the public hearing proceeds smoothly and that people are allowed to participate without obstruction.

Further, he appealed to the police to strengthen security arrangements at the venue to prevent miscreants from creating disturbances near the DC’s office.

Rymbai also demanded the sus-pension of police personnel alleg-edly involved in assaulting peaceful participants of the rally.

Meanwhile, the East Jaintia Hills district administration imposed pro-hibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, within the premises of the DC’s office in Khliehriat.

According to an order issued by District Magistrate Manish Kumar, the decision followed a protest demonstration staged earlier in the day by members and supporters of the Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), the Jaintia National Council (JNC), and villagers from the Daistong area inside the DC’s office campus.

The order stated that some dem-onstrators allegedly entered the office building, creating tension and distur-bance within the premises, affecting normal government functioning and posing a threat to public peace and safety.

Citing apprehensions of obstruc-tion, disturbance of public tranquil-lity, breakdown of law and order, and possible damage to public property, the administration prohibited the assembly of five or more persons within the boundary of the DC’s of-fice complex.

On Wednesday, the High Court of Meghalaya declined to stay the public hearing scheduled for May 22 in connection with the limestone mining project proposed by Shree Cement at Lum Syrnan, Nongkhlieh Elaka, in East Jaintia Hills.