The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court submitted a report on Wednesday addressing allegations of illegal mining and hill cutting in Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills districts of Meghalaya. The report recommends the restoration of the entire area utilized by the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), a minority institution that faced criticism from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who accused it of “flood jihad.” The committee also proposed a minimum fine of ₹150 crore for violations of forest laws.
The CEC called for a suspension of all mining, quarrying, and crushing activities in Ri Bhoi district due to extensive illegal mining operations. It noted that USTM had encroached on and utilized forest land without the required approval from the Central Government, violating Section 2 of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.
The land in question was diverted for the establishment of the university and related projects, which are prohibited on forest land. Consequently, the CEC stated that all non-forestry activities on the encroached land must cease immediately, and the entirety of the USTM area and its surrounding buildings should be restored to forest land within one year.
In August 2024, Chief Minister Sarma sparked backlash by labeling USTM, which is owned by Muslim education activist Mahbubul Hoque, as engaging in “flood jihad,” a claim perceived by many as anti-Muslim.
Given the extensive mining and hill cutting activities impacting over 400 hectares, the CEC recommended a restoration plan for the Basistha-Bahini and Dighalpani watersheds, to be supervised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in a timely manner.
This suspension of mining activities will remain in effect until a multidisciplinary committee, led by the Additional Director General of Forests from the MoEF&CC, conducts a thorough review of all permissions, including certifications for both forest and non-forest land, the status of encroachments, waste disposal practices, compliance with approved mining plans, and adherence to environmental safeguards.
The report highlights the connection between the illegal mining activities and their impact on Assam, particularly concerning Guwahati city and the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. The CEC urged the Meghalaya government to form an expert committee within one month to revise and align the criteria for defining “forests” under local laws with Supreme Court guidelines.
Furthermore, the CEC mandated that all mining lease holders in Meghalaya submit digital maps within 30 days delineating lease boundaries, transport roads, waste dump areas, and de-siltation pits. Non-compliance will result in an automatic halt to mining operations until the necessary records have been verified.
The committee also directed the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in Meghalaya to re-assess all environmental clearances granted by the District Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA) for mining in Ri Bhoi within 30 days, failing which those mines will be closed.
To enhance environmental protections, the CEC recommended a seasonal ban on land cutting, mining, leveling, and major earthworks from May 1 to September 30 in all hill districts, permitting emergency works only with prior government approval.
It stipulated that all land-filling and development sites must build boulder retaining walls of at least two meters, implement progressive bunding and de-siltation sumps, ensure re-grassing and soil conservation before the monsoon, and maintain a minimum 5-meter greenbelt. High-impact sites, such as stone crushers and quarry areas, are required to establish and uphold a buffer plantation of at least one hectare.
Additionally, the CEC has asked the Meghalaya government to finalize the definition of “forest” within six months. Once completed, the state must submit an affidavit to the Supreme Court detailing the identification methodology, including tree enumeration and expert analysis. Where tree enumeration proves impractical due to prior disturbances, geospatial and historical imagery will be utilized, and such areas will be treated as recorded forests pending final verification.
The committee emphasized that all identified areas must be registered in a Central Digital Registry maintained by the Meghalaya Forest Department, ensuring public accessibility and traceability of primary records.
Tags: Meghalaya, USTM, Himanta Biswa, forest law violations, fine
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