The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) has submitted a petition to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to immediately stop and cancel all processes related to the proposed Shree Cement Integrated Cement Plant in Daistong, East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. According to HITO president Donbok Dkhar, the project poses a significant threat to the region’s paddy fields, water sources, and traditional livelihood systems.
The organization’s concerns include air pollution, water extraction, and the permanent conversion of agricultural land into industrial land. Dkhar stated that the project is incompatible with the local environment and the agricultural landscape, and that it would have a devastating impact on the indigenous communities’ long-standing traditional livelihood systems.
HITO is demanding the cancellation of the environmental clearance process and the protection of the agricultural and ecological integrity of Daistong and surrounding areas. The organization has also questioned the role of the Single Window Agency (SWA), which is chaired by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, in clearing the project without addressing environmental and livelihood concerns.
Dkhar emphasized that the project’s proximity to the community, barely 0.82-1.4 km from Daistong village, makes it incompatible with the agrarian landscape. He warned that any attempt to push the project forward will be met with organized, lawful, and unrelenting mass resistance. HITO is not opposed to development, but rather to destruction disguised as development.
The organization’s petition highlights the need for careful consideration of the potential impacts of large-scale industrial projects on local environments and communities. The fate of the proposed Shree Cement Integrated Cement Plant remains uncertain, but HITO’s petition has brought attention to the concerns of the indigenous communities and the potential risks associated with the project. The MoEFCC will need to weigh the potential benefits of the project against the potential costs and make a decision that balances the needs of the community and the environment.