EJH police use tear gas as mob attacks Meghalaya Cement Ltd’s expansion

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 24, 2023

The East Jaintia Hills police resorted to firing several rounds of tear gas and a baton charge on Thursday after a mob attacked a venue where a public hearing was being held in Thangskai village under Lumshnong C&RD Block. The protest was against the proposed expansion of M/s Meghalaya Cement Ltd (Topcem).

As the public hearing commenced, the mob attacked and vandalized the entire venue, according to Jagpal Singh Dhanao, the district police chief. Initially, the police were cautious due to the presence of women and children.

Protesters even attempted to set the venue on fire, but the police managed to regain control of the situation, Dhanao stated. After consulting with the district administration and officials from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), the venue was relocated.

However, the protesters attacked the second venue with the same intentions, pelting stones at the police. To disperse the unruly mob, the police had to use reasonable force. The protesters were eventually chased out of the cement company campus after they threatened to attack the premises and vehicles parked there.

On August 3, various NGOs had demanded that the district administration cease the proposed public hearings for M/s Meghalaya Cement Ltd and M/s Green Valley Industries Ltd on August 24 and 25.

In a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of the district, they strongly opposed the scheduled public hearings, one for the “Expansion of Cement & Clinkerization Plant From 2600 TPD (0.858 MTPA) To 4500 TPD (1.485 MTPA) With 10 MW CPP and 9.5 MW WHRS of M/s Meghalaya Cement Ltd in Thangskai village on August 24, and the other for the operation of Shale Mining by M/s Green Valley Cement Ltd in Brichyrnot village on August 25.

These NGOs asserted that the presence of these cement companies in the district had not adequately addressed the needs and requirements of the local people and the district as a whole, particularly concerning the employment of local educated, unemployed youth. Currently, only a few local residents are employed by the cement companies.