Meghalaya High Court Directs State To Monitor & Prevent Alleged Illegal Limestone Mining By Cement Company

The Meghalaya High Court recently directed the State Government to keep a vigil to ensure that Amrit Cement Industries Limited does not indulge in illegal mining of limestone.

The division bench comprising the Chief Justice I. P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh was hearing a PIL raising the allegation of alleged illegal mining of limestone by Amrit Cement Industries Limited (respondent No. 9) at Mulieh, Umlong village, East Jaintia Hills District.

The allegation of the petitioner was that the respondent No. 9 operates a cement plant in the State of Meghalaya and in the course of such business, also indulges in illegal mining of limestone. It was further alleged that the respondent No. 9 obtained a licence for this purpose only on January 11, 2023, but before that and even thereafter is engaged in such wrongful activity.

The State government, in its report after making an inquiry, absolved respondent No. 9 of the above-mentioned allegation. During an earlier hearing, the Court directed the report of the State government and the rejoinder of the petitioner to be placed before the Chief Secretary for consideration.

During the hearing on August 01, the Advocate General strongly supported the decision of the State Government. It was submitted that prior to obtaining licence in 2023, the respondent No.9 purchased limestone from private vendors in the State and such sale was perfectly lawful.

The Advocate General further submitted that petitioner was acting for a vested interest of a rival entrepreneur or industrialist doing the same kind of business as the respondent No.9 and interested in closing the business of the latter. It was argued that according to the information of the government, the respondent No. 9 had not indulged in any illegal mining at any point of time before or after obtaining the licence.

The Senior Advocate appearing for the respondent No. 9 submitted that mining activity in terms of that licence has not yet been commenced by his client but is likely to start very soon.

After hearing the submissions and perusal of the report, the Court directed the State government keeps a vigil to ensure that the licence granted to the respondent No.9 is properly utilised and that it does not indulge in illegal mining of limestone.

“Furthermore, every three months the Chief Secretary or any competent officer authorised by him will issue a communication after due enquiry to be published in the website of the government that the respondent No.9 continues or does not continue to mine limestone in accordance with the licence, for the information of any public-spirited person who may be interested in ensuring that there is no illegal mining of minerals in the State,” the Court said.

Accordingly, the PIL was disposed of.

Case Title: Sri Ranjit Chandra Goswami v. The State of Meghalaya

Case No.: PIL No.1/2025

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