The Khasi Students Union (KSU) Khliehriat Circle has written to the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills, Shivansh Awasthi, to intervene and stop the proposed Shree Cement Integrated Cement Plant at Daistong. The union opposes the project due to several critical issues, including the alleged illegal transfer of tribal land to a non-tribal individual, Bharat Sharma, without prior permission. This transfer violates the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971, rendering all subsequent steps, including the environmental clearance process, null and void.
The proposed plant poses significant environmental and livelihood threats to the community, including the loss of paddy fields and income, strain on water resources, and air pollution. The villagers of Daistong have staged protests and resolved to oppose the public hearing, fearing pollution of their air, water, and land. The KSU has demanded that the district administration postpone the public hearing scheduled for December 19, 2025, and order a high-level investigation into the alleged illegal land transfer.
The union has also sought the intervention of the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to protect tribal land rights. The KSU emphasized that they are not against development, but they are against destruction disguised as development. The union’s opposition is based on the need to protect tribal rights, the environment, and the community’s future.
The proposed cement plant has sparked concerns among the local community, who fear that it will have devastating effects on their livelihoods and the environment. The KSU’s intervention highlights the need for the authorities to ensure that any development project is carried out in a transparent and lawful manner, with the consent of the local community and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The fate of the proposed cement plant remains uncertain, with the KSU and the local community awaiting a response from the authorities.