Local support for Lafarge project

French cement giant Lafarge’s limestone mining project in Meghalaya, which is entangled in legal problems, has received support from an unexpected quarter.

The Dorbar (traditional tribal village council in Meghalaya) of Nongtrai, the village in East Khasi Hills district where Lafarge Umuiam Mining Pvt Ltd (LUMPL) plans to mine limestone, has come forward to support the project.

Dorbar secretary Pynshai Rapmai today said in a statement that “vested” interests were “giving totally wrong information about the mining project”.

“The Nongtrai Durbar and the people are proud to be associated with the project and (are) also working closely with LUMPL to implement the biodiversity conservation plan for protection of ecology and biodiversity in the area,” the village council said.

It was a section of villagers from Nongtrai village and an NGO, Shella Action Committee, which dragged LUMPL to the court in 2007. Though the Supreme Court had in November 2007 granted permission to LUMPL to mine limestone in Meghalaya, in February 2010, after hearing a petition by 21 local tribals and the Shella Action Committee, the apex court overturned its previous order and stayed the mining project.

On March 24, though the Union government moved the apex court and made a plea for lifting the ban, citing international commitments and diplomatic relations with Bangladesh, since limestone from Meghalaya will feed a cement plant in the neighbouring country, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan turned down the plea.